Blind Trust - Part Two
by watlocked
Summary: This is the Second Part - rated T for mentions of violence (Nothing graphic, I promise - I could probably do a K but I'm paranoid, so I did T) Max is the saviour of mankind, right? But what if she isn't the only 'Sandeman special' child? Set as a continuation of Max and Alec's journey through life towards acceptance. Thoughts Welcome! No promises on when Part Three is gonna up.
1. PrologueIntro

**AN: Okay, so this was supposed to be done, like, the beginning of last month. I am a horrible self task master. I feel so bad keeping you waiting for so long. And the third part (which will be the final part of this story I promise) Is not flowing right now; but, I thought I'd at least get this published. Maybe the feedback will inspire my muse again.**

**And I have to say, the ending feels a little dodgy to me, and by the way I suck at writing from Asha's point of view (and I don't remember if I put this in the last AN but this fic is going to be a canon Max/Logan relationship with an attempt at Alec/Asha. White was fun to write though! I hope I am keeping these guys in character, but if I'm not feel free to howl at me. (Gently though, I'm in a rather delicate emotional state right now [long story]) :) But, without any further ado! Ladies and Gentlemen, Part Two of Blind Trust.**

**Disclaimer - they aren't mine. I'm just, insane, and I thought I'd share my insanity for a change.**

_**Prologue**_

It has been three weeks since the one known as Alec disappeared, presumed dead by all but two people. Joshua, a kind hearted Transhuman; and Shirley, a displaced millionaire trauma surgeon who loves any and all who she thinks deserves it.

Max, the leader of the Transgenics, has been buried in research of the man who she believes is responsible for the death of her brother while maintaining a semi stable peace with the denizens of Seattle.

Logan, Max's one and only love, has been working right beside her to find proof and evidence of Agent White's connection to the ancient breeding cult responsible for uncovering the Transgenics existence.

The man known as Otto has spent all this time searching for answers, but he has repeatedly and consistently come up empty on anything solid, or even abstract. There was absoloutely nothing he could find on who Agent White really was, or who he was really working for. He had become desparate for answers, but how desparate was he really? And what would he be willing to give up in order to find the answers he sought?


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One**_

The car sat idling as Otto watched the pacing Transgenics through a pair of binoculars. He had begun to recognize individuals as he saw them on sentry duty over the past week. He couldn't believe he was sitting here, with no job, no answers, and probably the craziest plan he had ever thought up in his dreams spinning around in his mind. But he had to get answers.

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The sunlight was bright streaming in through the window, setting the prism laden wind chime alight with an inner fire as it cast fairy lights to dance on the walls, ceiling, and floor. The room's occupant was unaware of the beauty being displayed around him however as he flexed first one arm, then the next, grasping a dumbell weight in each hand.

He wasn't exercising strictly through necessity though. He'd been in good shape before White had gotten hold of him, and then the angry mob of idiots, but he had still lost strength in the two and a half weeks he'd been semi comatose. That and he was bored.

With all the internal damage he'd suffered Shirley didn't want him wandering around just yet - she wanted to be sure his insides were thoroughly healed up and the stitching dissolved before she let him start bumbling around and exploring.

The reason she was so worried about letting him get out of bed was the fact that he was blind.

He'd been blind when he ran out of the building White's goons had had him in, but he'd been in too much deep crap to really acknowledge it beyond recognition. He'd done pretty good for running blind to. He'd been twenty blocks from there when Shirley found him almost dead. Now he had to get healed up, back on his feet, and find a way to cope, because as Shirley had told him earlier that morning - she doubted he'd ever see again, and if he did, it would be a miracle, pure and simple, and even then he would never be able to see properly ever again.

When his head had hit the butt of White's rifle, it had suffered a massive concussive blow that burst a handful of blood vessels. Then he'd hit his head on the pipe when he hit the ground. The internal bleeding had immediately started taking it's toll, as evidenced by his intermittent and temporary loss of hearing and the disorientation he had experienced. The drugs they'd pumped him full of had eased the bleeding to some degree, but by then the optic nerve had already been sprained, or worse - broken.

Alec had nodded, smiled like the know-it-all he knew he could, and told her he would be fine. He'd be alright. He was always alright. He set the dumbell's down, closing his eyes and swallowing. Sighing heavily he hung his head, flexing his fingers and rolling his shoulders.

He was seriously bored.

Bored out of his mind, ready to kill something.

Bored.

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Max stretched, flexing her sore fingers and popping her neck and back. She'd been sitting in the same position all night reading. Yawning fiercely she stood and carefully stepped over the ring of files she'd surrounded herself with, rubbing her watering eyes. Time for coffee.

Entering the kitchen softly she nodded a greeting to those who looked at her, cocking a curious ear when she heard Joshua laughing. She had hardly seen the big guy lately. Picking a cup she poured herself a measure of the black liquid sitting on the stove and walked over to where Original Cindy, Sketchy, Logan, Dalton, and Joshua were all playing monopoly.

"Wow, that's some pretty heavy reading there, Logan." she said gently.

He looked up shocked. "Max-"

She cut his excuse off with a smile and laugh. "I'm joking, silly! I want a break from all that reading. Reading, reading, and reading; I feel like I've been eating files for breakfast lunch and dinner ever since . . ." she trailed off, still having trouble facing the fact that Alec wasn't with them anymore.

"Max?" it was Joshua who spoke up.

"Yeah big fella?" she looked up and smiled brightly, hiding her still fresh grief.

"You got plans for, for later?" he asked tentatively.

She mentally ran through her calendar in her head. "Nope. Why? wha'sup?"

"I've been tryin' to get the same answer outta him," Original Cindy said, making a move on the board. "Dog won't say nuthin'."

"Surprise," Joshua said simply.

"One I'll like?" Max asked, curious. Joshua could keep a secret to surprise her, but why not let the others in on it?

He smiled like he had a way of doing; if you didn't know him well you'd think he was mocking you. "Big surprise. Happy, happy one, for everyone."

"Well what is it, big fella?"

"Can't tell - have to show. Little fella, have to wait till later. Promise? Promise, you'll wait?"

Max pretended to think. "I think I can live with that. I promise I won't try to figure it out before you show me."

"Good," he smiled, pleased.

"Now deal me in. I wanna play to," she set her cup down and sat forward, intrigued by the game.

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Alec sat twiddling his thumbs, literally. It had been several hours since Shirley had last popped in and told him that she was going out to touch base with her city contacts to assure them she hadn't been killed, which they probably thought she had been seeings how she hadn't left the house for more than an hour for two and a half weeks. And the few times she had slipped out in the last half week or so she had been cryptic and brief in her visits to her suppliers. He had already exercised his arms, then done his leg stretches to ensure they remained strong as well, then he'd repeated the routine just for the heck of it.

Joshua was doing something with Max and Logan - something about them having declared war on all files pertaining to White and his scum.

The horse, well. It was a horse, for crying out loud.

No one else knew he was alive, and he'd already been threatened by Shirley that if he called anybody or even went outside the house she'd personally string him up by his toes. He was in no shape to defend himself.

And he was never going to get into that shape if he didn't get out of bed and start learning how to navigate.

Gently flipping the covers back, Alec gingerly slid his legs over the edge of the bed. They dangled a couple centimeters off the ground as he meditatively swung them back and forth, thinking about getting up. Shirley would be mad, most likely. But, he'd been in bed for over three weeks now, and he was well on the road to being fully healed.

Hesitantly he pressed his toes to the cold laminate floor, taking a deep breath before he stood, keeping his hands on the bed behind him to steady himself. His knees immediately buckled, but he'd been expecting that. He braced himself, grateful that the bed had the brakes locked on the wheels.

After his knees stopped shaking, he took a deep breathe and stepped away from the bed, keeping his hands out stretched. He wasn't entirely sure how big his room was, and he had no idea what the layout of the house was, so he decided he'd just wander around this room until he was familiar with it. That was a big enough step for him today.

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Shirley watched the people bustle by her as she sat on the steps in the alcove formed by the bricked up door way as she ate her lunch. An apple, a tuna salad sandwich, and a thermos of milk. Not exactly cavier, but she liked it better - cavier always made her want to puke; it was the texture of it, she was sure. She figured she should be heading back to the house, as Alec would be going stir crazy. He had asked permission to get out of bed this morning, but she'd been reluctant to say yes.

Honestly, she didn't buy this, I'm always alright facade he projected whenever he thought someone was watching him. She had stood in the door way of his room, breathing as quietly as she possibly could and holding herself stock still, and she watched him as he lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had smiled at her that morning when she'd told him her findings about the optic nerve, and he'd said he would be fine. He could learn to live with it - it wasn't that different, as he was sure Max would point out. He'd been blind before, now he just had an excuse.

His attitude when speaking about Max was another thing that worried her. Joshua had acted, and continued to act, like Max and Alec were as close as a brother and sister could be. Shirley didn't doubt him, especially after seeing how Max had freaked out on White when he'd shown up the morning after Alec 'died'. But, she couldn't help but wonder what was behind that facade Alec put up; as well as why he put it up.

Shirley had never been one to take things at face value. She'd been the one watching the magician while all the other kids watched the flashing globe he was fluttering his fingers above. Another reason she always asked questions was the fact that Sherlock Holmes had been, and still was, her hero; his abilities of observance were something she made an effort to achieve in her own life - and they had saved her more than once. And she had used the knowledge she gained to put up her own facade and front. She spoke in a mutt dialect perfected during hours talking to herself and the walls, and her horse. She had constructed it in order to protect her identity, the fact that she had been an heiress to a billionaire father before the pulse had wiped everything out and put everyone on the same level.

But why did Alec put up his facade? It was a puzzle for Shirley - and one she was intent on solving.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

Alec lay on the floor, liking the tactile feel of the hard, cold tile on his back and nothing above him. He felt like he was the only one in the world; actually - he felt like there was no world aside from the tile beneath him and the air above him. Any other time he would've loved that feeling of isolation and complete calm; right now he just wished his legs would stop shaking so bad that he couldn't even stand.

The room he was in was apparently a bedroom library that had been converted into an infirmary, from what he could gather via touch and smell. The fact that it was an infirmary was pretty obvious as it was the room he was in, but the book shelves along the walls kind of puzzled him. He bet Joshua loved it - the poor guy had been reading and re-reading the same selection of books from 'father's library' unless one of the teams found more books and actually thought to grab them while on a supply run.

The reason the books presence puzzled him was the fact that Shirley had kept them in the room where she did massive surgery whenever the occasion called for it. Wouldn't the dust from the books pose a sanitary hazard? But then again, maybe she didn't do surgery that often.

He cocked his head to the side as he heard the elevator doors open, then close. Attempting to roll onto his feet didn't work as he'd thought it would, but at least he was slightly upright when Shirley walked around the corner.

"Alec! what are you doing?!"

Shirley just about dropped the bag of medical supplies she'd purchased when she rounded the corner to find Alec semi upright and obviously fighting a seizure. "Alec! What are you doing?!" her instant concern made her snap more than she'd have liked, seeing's how Alec was blind and would only read her audible response. As she'd feared her tone made him instantly defensive.

"Standing!" he snapped back. "I was doing fine - I just got shaky a couple of times."

"Okay," she softened her tone, making a point of gently setting the bag down as she came to help him stand up straight. "I'm sorry I snapped; you just scared me. Here I'm expecting you to have actually listened to me telling you to stay in bed," she laughed, pulling his arm over her shoulders, forcing him to lean on her for support. "And you're standing in the middle of the room."

"I got bored," he said, softening his tone to match hers, though he was still defensive. Man, it sucked being blind. Now he wasn't sure if she'd meant to be harsh, was telling the truth about her shock, or had just reacted out of concern for seeing him so shaky.

"I know, bed rest has been driving you bonkers. But, since Max is coming tonight, I think you need to rest after your explorations; that way you won't be overly tired when she comes," she steered him towards his bed.

"Yeah, Max," he tsked in pain as he got into bed, sliding under the covers as Shirley got a heavier blanket for him. She'd felt the coolness of his skin and wondered how long he'd been walking around, and how long his seizures had stranded him on the floor.

"I wonder how she'll react to my 'resurrection'," he said, shivering slightly.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see - but don't worry. I doubt she'll be to upset," she tucked him in slightly, though he grumbled against it. Picking up one of the full syringes on the table beside the bed she gently took his arm, pulling it out from under the covers. "This is gonna pinch, but it'll help fight the seizures off so you can rest," she carefully yet quickly inserted the needle before he really registered what she was doing, depressing the plunger smoothly. Pulling the needle out she put a cotton ball over the insertion point and folded his arm at the elbow, tucking the arm back under the covers. "There. All done."

"Thanks doc," he murmured, feeling sleep pull at his eyelids. He had worn himself out exploring, he realized with a small start. He needed to start exercising more if that was how fast he tired; it wouldn't do if he couldn't hold his own in a prolonged fight. . .

Shirley smiled as she saw his muscles relaxing slowly, his breathing deepened and evened out, and his eyes stopped their restless movement. Even though he couldn't see anything, his eyes still moved, which puzzled Shirley. If it was the optic nerve that had been damaged, wouldn't that severe his control over moving his eyes? Shrugging she added that thought to the bottom of his chart, starring it to ensure she addressed it at some point.

Looking at the clock she realized that Max and Joshua would be there sooner than later - she'd lost track of time while outside of the house. Leaving her patient sleeping soundly she went to the kitchen to start preparing a meal, thinking about what Alec had said. _I wonder how she'll react to my 'resurrection'._ Was he worried, curious, or was he afraid of what Max might think of Shirley and Joshua for lying to her? Well, they hadn't actually lied to her, but they hadn't told her that Alec was alive either.

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Max stretched, plopping the files out of her lap to the floor with a smack. Logan jumped at the sudden noise.

"Sorry," she smiled, then stood. "Josh and I are gonna head out for his surprise soon - I gotta see if I can get anything out of him concerning distance and safety."

"'Kay," he smiled, almost grinning at her. "You know, Max . . ."

"Yeah," she turned back to look at him puzzled.

"I've been thinking," he started.

"Uh-oh," she joked, smiling.

Chuckling he shook his head. "But seriously, Max. Don't you think it's strange that we haven't found _anything_ concrete on White and the cult?"

"What do you mean?" Max said, a tinge of defensiveness making her tense.

"I'm not suggesting we give up," Logan said quickly. "I'm not - I want to uncover the cult, I want people to know; I'm just saying, maybe we're looking in the wrong places. We've gone through all the files we can find on Special Agent Ames White, all of his men, his bosses in the government . . ."

"It's been three weeks, and we still don't have anything we can take to the Leiutenant as solid irrefutable evidence," Max finished for him.

"Exactly."

"What other options do we have?" she asked, vulnerability in her voice.

"'Tell you what - you go enjoy yourself with Joshua and his surprise. I'll start looking into some other venues. Maybe I can dig up a contact with Asha, now that some of the heat has lessened on the S1W for loosing the Transgenics on Seattle," he smiled again, loving the fact that Max was actually considering what he was suggesting. She'd changed so much from the cat burglar he'd caught red handed that fateful night.

"Sounds good," Max said as she nodded, completely unaware of where his train of thought was. "I'll be back."

"I'll be waiting."

"Hey Joshua," Max walked up to where Joshua was finishing one of his paintings. He'd done so many of them she couldn't even guess what number it was.

"Little fella ready to go?" he asked excitedly.

"Almost. Can you at least tell me where we're going, so that I can know what risk there is?"

"No risk. Joshua took care of that," he said, speaking of himself in the third person. He did that often, Max was used to it; she recognized it as a sign that he was very excited about whatever it was that he had as a surprise.

Setting the paint pallete down with his brush beside it in a jar of water he turned to face her. "Ready?"

"Why not," she laughed. "Lead me away."

Joshua laughed with her, taking her hand to lead her out of the building. He led her on a winding route to the edge of the city, pulling out a camoflauged bag. He must have been sneaking out of the city this way for a while.

Max studied their exit, noting the carefully excavated tunnel leading under the fence and beyond the protestors. "Joshua, what is this?" she asked.

"A tunnel," he answered, somewhat guardedly.

"Did you make it?" Max asked, intrigued by the transhuman's sudden reluctance to trust her.

"Found it," he explained.

Max nodded, not believing him, because there was no report of such a concealed exit/entrance in any of the sweeps done by the teams that had combed the perimeter, and they would not have overlooked something like the tunnel - nor would they have dismissed it's importance. She shook off the worm of doubt trying to find purchase - Joshua would never betray her; and as simple as he might seem at times there was no way someone could have tricked him into leading Max into a trap.

"Put on?" he held up a long trench coat and massive floppy hat.

"You've got to be kidding," she looked at him incredulously.

"Safe," he smiled. "Risk free."

She groaned quietly, but she knew he was right. There was no way anyone would recognize her in that garb. "Okay." she shrugged and smiled. "I like a good mystery."

Joshua laughed with her, glad to see her enjoying herself. It had been a while since she'd laughed so many times in one day - he was happy that her joy was coming back. And after tonight it would really be back. Alec and her would go back to their bickering routine as Alec oversaw things as her second in command, the cult would be handled soon enough; life was looking up for his friends.

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Alec had gotten up about half an hour ago, just so that he was ready for when Max arrived.

Shirley was beginning to regret letting him come downstairs with her. He would not sit still. First he sat on the couch drumming his fingers on his knee; then he'd actually laid down on his back and breathed deeply for several minutes. And then he'd started asking what time it was every five minutes while sitting up and bouncing his knee a hundred miles an hour. And now, he was pacing.

At first Shirley was nervous because there were so many random peices of furniture in the living room, which was basically the same room as the kitchen but Shirley had shrunk the kitchen and brought the couch and arm chairs in. Alec had soon allayed her fears of him colliding with anything by systematically combing the room until he knew where everything was. Then he'd started pacing, literally chewing his nails from pure nerves.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore. "Why are you so afraid of her?"

The question startled him so much he collided with a coffee table before regaining his balance and staring at her. "What?"

"Max; why are you so afraid of her?" Shirley repeated the quesiton.

"I'm not," he said defensively, turning away.

"Well something has you spooked about tonight, and it's not Joshua; it's not me," she shrugged, even though he wouldn't be able to tell. "So it has to be Max."

He turned back towards her hesitantly. "Well, . . . it's just . . . I''m . . ."

His stuttering shocked Shirley - she'd never heard him so at a loss for words.

"I'm not afraid of her!" he finally blurted, defensively. He always got defensive when Max was mentioned.

"Well, it's not always fear that causes nervousness. Apprehension, uncertainty, they're all valid reasons for nervousness," Shirley leaned on the stove, waiting on the timers.

He shrugged, returning to his pacing.

"Okay," she pulled out a chair. "How about you sit down and stop using your energy up before she arrives, and talk to me."

He reluctantly walked over, finding the chair and sitting down. Crossing his arms and legs he began to bounce his knee again.

"What is your main concern about tonight?" she asked, pulling out a chair to sit across from him.

"Max is gonna kill me," he whispered, his head hanging down so that his chin nearly touched his chest.

"Why?" Shirley asked warily.

"Max, oh how can I explain Max," his tone took on it's normal cocky tinge as he leaned his head back as far as it would go. Rolling his head forward to face Shirley as he spoke he shrugged again. "She hates surprises."

"Joshua seems to think it'll be fine," Shirley offered.

"Joshua, is a sweet heart," Alec sighed heavily. Shirley waited for him to continue, realizing that things were a little more complex than she'd originally thought between these three friends. "He's living his life through rose colored glasses." he said finally. Laughing he shook his head. "That's the nicest way I can put it. The guy thinks everyone can live in harmony, well, unless it's White, then he just wants to snap the guys kneck which, quite frankly, I don't blame him and after what I've been through I'm probably gonna help him snap the guy in half. But Max, well, she's go this whole team, unit, loyalty code stuck in her head, and anyone who doesn't bat for that team usually suffers her wrath. She's just got this code of honor, I guess, and I didn't really measure up to it when I first got out."

Shirley sat up and leaned forward. This was the first he'd mentioned anything in his past in front of her, let alone to her.

"When I first got out of Manticore, well, I was out when it got burned down, having been sent to retrieve Max and Logan and bring 'em both back to Manticore, but after Manticore was first taken out; that first month or so, I was a rogue, selfish, me and mine only, . . . jerk, I guess. And then there was the time I tried to kill Max to save my own skin, after I had planned to kill Joshua but he didn't have a barcode so it didn't do me any good and I had to go after Max, oh boy. She ended up savin' my bacon; the first instance of savin' my hide in a long chain of 'Max I owe you's'. Well, I guess it wouldn't have been the first, because the first time she saved me was when she took Manticore out, but-" he was cut off by the timers.

Shirley stood and began taking out dishes to serve from. "Keep going, I can listen and do at the same time."

He laughed for some reason, but kept talking. "Anyway, I'm not exactly her favourite person on the face of planet earth, ya know what I mean? I mean, we get along, sometimes, but she's just as likely, well, more than likely to punch my arm than she is to hug me. We bicker, and banter, and there have been a few instances where we got pretty nitty gritty in fighting, and not just mock fighting either, but overall . . you know, she's a friend. She's there to bail my backside out when I fall out of the pot. But now that she thinks I'm dead, I'm just not exactly one hundred percent sure how she's gonna handle just walking in here and finding me sitting on a couch. What am I gonna say? 'Hey Max, April fool's, I know the months off but forgive me anyway'? Ha!" he laughed sharply. "I can see her going for my throat now."

"Maybe I should sit down with her, with you in a different room, and just try to explain what happened," Shirley suggested.

"Oh no, she'll smell a rat faster than a cat can."

"I can explain that we didn't think it was a good idea to tell her right away, and then the more time we spent not telling her the more we didn't know how to tell her. When she stands to demand an answer, I say you're alive," shrugged. Simple enough, in theory.

"She won't believe you," he stood and stretched carefully.

"Her brain will start trying to reconcile the data with what she already knows, what she remembers, so it will be more open to alternatives - that's when you walk in and say, whatever you think is appropiate for your first words to her."

"Oh, I know - hey Max, wanna strangle me?"

Shirley shook her head and lightly smacked him.

"There, see; even you have started hitting me-" he froze as the front door swung open and two cloaked figures walked in.

Shirley shoved him into the stairwell quickly, slamming the door. She flinched as the door slammed, but she knew she'd be able to lie about being upstairs; there were plenty of windows that gave her a view of the drive way, so it was possible she had looked out one and saw them coming, then ran down stairs to greet them.

Max shook herself to get some of the moisture off as it had started to rain lightly on their walk over. It had been a long walk - longer than Max had expected. Joshua had been a sure guide though, avoiding checkpoints and sector police expertly; he'd done it many times before, Max was sure. A loud slam caught Max's attention as she slid the enveloping coat off.

Looking to her left Max saw a kitchen with dishes set up and food in all of them. And standing in front of a door was a woman, probably about five foot eight, eight and a half inches. She had dark shoulder length brown hair, and her eyes were brown as well; she was rather slight in build, well rounded in her weight, and she was watching Max with a tinge of concern.

The concern instantly disappeared when the woman smiled and started walking towards them, extending her hand. "Hi. My name's Shirley."

"Max," Max answered simply, shaking the proffered hand. She looked at Joshua as he took her coat and hat and laid them on top of his on a chair beside the door.

"Come," he led her in past the kitchen to a living room area. "So-"

"So," Shirley interrupted Joshua, giving him a slight warning look with a shake of her head. Joshua looked puzzled, but fell silent. "Please, sit."

Max picked the chair closest to the door and sat down gingerly, perching on the edge of the seat.

Her flight ready pose didn't escape Shirley's attention as she sat down opposite her. Joshua stood to the side looking concerned and confused.

"What's this about?" Max demanded, nervous.

"I'm a trauma surgeon," Shirley started, not entirely sure where she was going with the explaination. "I . . . let me try again."

Max looked confused, but relaxed slightly as she leaned forward with interest, glancing at Joshua.

Shirley met Max's gaze after a moment, steeling herself. "There's no easy way to say it, so I'm just gonna say it. We didn't think you'd be able to handle it immediately after it happened, and then when more time had passed, we weren't entirely sure how to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Max looked suspiciously between the two of them.

"It's about Alec," Shirley said kindly.

Max immediately sprang to her feet. "What about him? Did you find his body? Do you know what White did with him? Do you have information on the cult?"

Shirley was shocked by the instant barrage of questions, cutting in quickly. "He's not dead."

That brought a stunned silence.

"What?" Max said, stepping forward angrily.

"Max, White fooled you into thinking Alec was dead by taking an unconscious body off the scene in a body bag," Shirley stood to look Max in the eye. She was a little shocked when she realized she was taller than the other woman by about two inches.

"That's impossible," Max turned to leave, struggling to wrap her head around what they were saying. And there he was.

"Hey Max," he spoke softly.

Max actually lost her balance and nearly fell backwards in shock. Joshua was there to catch her though, so she just collapsed into his embrace. "Alec?" she whispered, shocked.

Alec stood uncertainly, listening for Max's reaction. His heart was beating a mile a minute and he felt short of breath, like someone had wrapped an iron band tight around his chest. Her shocked whisper let him locate her better, so he carefully started making his way to her. Standing a few feet away from her he cocked his head slightly, trying to judge what she was feeling like - punching him or hugging him.

"You . . . you're not . . ." she struggled to find words as Joshua gently straightened her up.

"Dead?" Alec offered. "No; I'm not."

"How?!"

He flinched at her sharp tone, but figured she had more than a right to be mad at him. "I escaped from White's lab that he had me in, then I got caught be a mob of idiots. Shirley found me, brought me here; I've been-"

"Oh, of course - go to a stranger for help!" Max cut in, furious. "You've been dead for three weeks! _Weeks_!"

"Max, I know. but there's something else-" She cut him off with her fist connecting to his jaw.

He hit the floor hard, smacking his head lightly; his lip stung where his teeth had bitten it, and his jaw immediately started throbbing. "Max," he backed off, warily standing off. "If you just let me explain-"

"Explain what! You felt you could trust a stranger more than you could us? You thought we'd sell you out to White? News flash - real friends don't sell their friends out! That may be something you excel out, but I've never done that, and I never would! Or are you still mad that I told Logan you and me were seeing each other?!"

"Max," Alec tried to cut in.

"Well you can relax, because I told him the truth! We're aren't seeing each other, and you know what? Logan understands, and he and I have been trying to find every word we can on the breeding cult to expose him and his cronies!" She stopped shouting, out of breathe.

"Good, I'm glad you two got it sorted out, _finally_!" he shouted back. "And I didn't choose to be unconscious for two and a half weeks, and I'm sorry Joshua was to concerned to put you through the possibility of me actually dying, but right now I don't suppose you'd have minded!"

"What's that supposed to mean!"

Shirley plugged her ears, cringing at their peircing shouts - man, Alec had been right. Max was furious. Poor Joshua looked like he wanted to step in between and force them to hug each other, but for some reason he was holding himself back.

"It means, you seem more upset by the fact that I'm alive, than you were by the fact I died!" he answered her in matching tones.

"Oh?! Has Joshua been keeping you informed of how I've been doing _better WITHOUT you_!?"

"NO! he hasn't! Because he hasn't been able to, because I've been _unconscious_! For _two and half WEEKS_! I'm sorry, I don't know what you've been through, but quite frankly, Max! you don't know what _I've _been through!"

"Oh really?" Max snapped stepping forward. Alec stepped back, wary of her fists. "What, did White shoot you up with drugs and make you happy! Heaven forbid it! You've been shot before, you're always drunk, so what exactly was different this time? hmmm?"

"I am not always drunk!"

"Well, you spend you're evenings scamming Sketchy and drinking all his paychecks, at least the part he manages to retain. And when you aren't scamming you're drinking at the bar, or drinking at your place, or begging for a bottle from Mole!"

"I am never drunk, because I can't get drunk, because my metabolism works the alcohol out to fast for me to get_ drunk_," Alec said, relatively calmly.

"Oh -"

"Say oh really, one more time, in your sarcastic voice, and I might just hit you."

Max went to speak, but stopped for a moment, slightly stumped. "Well, that is just like you. Get mad at everyone else, don't take any blame on yourself!"

"Oh for crying out LOUD!" he stepped forward. "It's _not, MY, _FAULT!" he emphasized each word.

"You could've found your way back to Terminal City after you were attacked, but no, you rely on the help of a _stranger_."

"What?!" Alec looked furious. "I was unconscious-"

"For two and half weeks, I caught that part, _Alec_," Max put her hands on her hips. "How you escape from White?"

"I . . ." Alec collected himself. "I fought free."

"And you couldn't fight free of the 'mob of idiots' because . . .?" Max waited expectantly.

Alec closed his eyes and breathed deeply a couple of times. "I couldn't fight them, I was -"

"You fought free of White, but you couldn't of a mob?"

"What do you expect me to do!?" he exploded, making Max back up. "I'm not invincible! I'm not superman, Max! What, where a mob took Biggs I'm supposed to just toss them aside and walk away?!"

"Alec, that's not-" Max started.

"No, just . . ." Alec turned and started walking out. "Just leave me alone."

"Alec, wait," Max started forward.

"MAX!" he turned back. "Leave. Me. Alone." he growled, then turned and opened the stairway door.

"Fine!" she shouted after him.

"Fine!" he slammed the stair way door shut.

Max stood speechless after the door slammed, her mind flashing back to another argument that had ended with those words and a slamming door. She slowly became aware of two pair of eyes staring at her as she stood listening to her own heartbeat, and sighed. "I'm going for a walk," she made a beeline for the door without waiting for an answer.

"I'll keep the food warm," Shirley stood softly, flinching as Max slammed the front door. Turning to Joshua with wide eyes she saw that he was fighting tears. "Oh Joshua, it's okay. They'll sort it out," she smiled assuringly. "They just, need time to readjust to each other."

He nodded mutely.

_At least I hope that's all they need_, she thought silently.

Max walked in circles on the front lawn, ignoring the emaculate gardens and silent fountains. Her mind was going a million miles an hour, and it felt like she couldn't keep up with it. Alec was alive? how was that even possible?

Going over and over her memories she slowly assimulated the data into what she already knew. There had been a shot fired, after which she saw White taking Alec's body away. But no one had actually seen where the bullet hit Alec, and it would've been fairly simple for White's men to taze him into unconsciousness - they'd done so before after all. But why hadn't Alec come to Terminal City after he escaped? Why didn't Joshua want Max to know that her friend was still alive? It was all confusing, and her emotions weren't helping anything. She was glad her friend was alive, but another part of her mind just took this as yet another act of selfishness on Alec's part.

Sighing she turned back to the house. The last time she'd let an argument stay between them, he'd wound up being, apparently, kidnapped by White. There was no way she was losing him again with anger between them.

Opening the door she quietly shut it behind her, noting that Alec was stiffly sitting at a dinner table that had been pulled out, presumably by him and Joshua, while Joshua was helping Shirley lay out the silverware; all the food looked ready to eat. Well, it would have to wait a little bit longer.

Shirley glanced up when she heard a soft tread on the kitchen floor, jumping when she saw Max standing there. She held her tongue though, watching as the Transgenic carefully approached Alec's chair and pulled out the one beside him to sit in it. "Come on Josh, you want to help me set out the food?"

He nodded, keeping an eye on his two friends.

Alec heard Max sit down beside him, but he didn't acknowledge her. He was still mad, even though he didn't really know why her words had cut so much.

Max sat silently for several seconds, gathering her thoughts. "Alec?" she tentatively started.

"What?" he mumbled while picking at a loose thread he'd found on the table clothe; he still wasn't looking at her.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

He sighed and let the thread go. "What color is the table clothe?"

His question confused Max for a moment - why would he ask her that? but she answered anyway. "Blue."

"What kind of blue?" he asked, shifting so that he was sitting more facing her, but still not meeting her inquiring gaze.

"Um," she studied the table cloth for a moment, her brow furrowed. "Various shades of blue; like a, like a blue sunset, I guess."

He nodded slowly, waiting for something.

Max sat quietly for a moment, waiting for another question. He didn't ask any. "Alec?" Max spoke softly, trying to get him to look at her.

He heard the fear in her voice, wishing he could just say it, but he knew that she wouldn't be able to take it that way. She had to figure everything out for herself - that was how she had been trained. That was how they'd all been trained.

"Alec, what is it?" her voice took on an edge.

He shifted again, then turned his head to look directly at her, but, there was something off. "I'm blind, Max," he spoke confidently but softly, knowing it would shock her.

"What?" her voice was laced with disbelief.

"The reason I didn't go to Terminal City when I got away from White, is that I didn't know where I was going."

Max sat gripping the chair on both sides, shaking her head, unable to comprehend what she was hearing. how could a Transgenic go blind? She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to see Joshua beside her and Shirley across from her.

Shirley clasped her hands. "There has been damage to his optic nerve," Shirley began. "He can't see, and I don't know if he'll ever regain his sight, or if this is permanent. If his optic nerve does repair itself somehow, I doubt it'll be like new. He'll probably never see normally again."

Max breathed deeply, trying to wrap her head around this. Alec silently reached over and took her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Unfortunately there's more - as you know pratically nothing of what's been going on, I'll give you the short version. He had massive internal damage when I brought him here - I sewed what I could, cauterized what I saw, and trusted his body for the rest. He's had several transfusions from Joshua, which is about the only reason he's still alive. His body is healing, but right now it's slow going; I don't have ultrasound, I don't have X-rays, so I'm just trusting I sewed right, and that his antibodies can handle any infections that may appear.

"His nervous system took quite the beating to, but I believe that was White's fault. White gave Alec something, some sort of drug. I don't know what it was for, but I know it played heck with his brain. He's been having trouble with seizures, his vision, although that is most likely caused by head trauma; he's been running cold also, colder than normal for a human even, which is not good. But, I don't know what's causing it; he's stable, I've got a med regime set to control the seizures as much as possible-"

"Is it a seritonin deficiency?" Max cut in.

"What?"

"The seizures, could they be from a seritonin deficiency?" Max asked again. "I ask because my unit had difficulty with lack of seritonin. Our brain's wiring is whacked, so we had to take supplements and drink lots of milk when we ran away. I don't know if any of the other units had problems with that, but I know Alec is twinned off of one of my unit brothers, so . . ."

"We all had the seritonin deficiency," Alec spoke up, absently rubbing his thumb up and down the side of Max's hand. "Manticore kept us on a strict diet with regular check ups and supplements. That was the only way they found to eliminate the weakness. The supplements built up in some X5's systems; like our bodies realized we needed that to survive so it hoarded it up and started copying it so that we didn't need the supplements any more. I don't know if the beating would've screwed that up, or maybe my blood loss, but, I don't know."

Max squeezed his hand, noting how cold he was for the first time. Putting a hand to his forehead she pulled him closer to her to hug him. "I'm sorry." she whispered.

"You didn't know," he smiled, hugging her back lightly. "Now," he sat up, pulling away from her. "Anybody else hungry?"

Max laughed.

"What?" he sounded offended.

"There's the Alec I know," Max grinned. "Food oriented chow hound."

"Shut up," he smacked at her arm, not really making contact.

Joshua just sat down grinning. His friends were happy now.

Shirley took a deep breath and pulled her chair up to the table completely. Wow. She did not want to ever get on either of these guys' bad sides; or get in between them when they were on each other's bad sides.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

Otto sat in his car again, watching the fence line. Taking a deep breath he unbuckled his belt and stepped out of the car, shutting the door as silently as he could. He skirted the crowd of protestors until he reached the back fence of Terminal City to ensure no one saw him, then he started looking for a hole in the fence. The barrier was fairly solid, with any holes quite firmly planked up, but he was able to find a loose area to slip through.

Reaching the other side he stood breathing fast with his heart racing and his palms sweating furiously. This was insane.

Carefully wandering through the streets of Terminal City Otto made sure to avoid the sentries as much as he could, wanting to get far enough in that maybe he could meet someone that didn't have a gun and would be willing to listen before they started shooting. He wasn't sure how possible that would be, but he thought it was at least worth a try.

"Stop!" the shout made Otto freeze. "Hands up, turn around," the voice sounded young, but by no means something to mess with.

Obediently Otto slowly put his hands up, pivoting to face his challenger. A young X5 most likely, probably around five feet eight inches with ragged blonde hair and multiple layers of clothes. Otto recognized him as one of the sentries - he must've been off for the evening.

"Don't shoot," Otto called softly, hoping to alleviate some of the Transgenic's fear. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"You're one of White's men," the young man said matter of factly.

Crap, they recognized him, Otto fought to keep himself calm, well aware that he was in mortal danger facing this unknown; especially after the death of 494. "Not anymore," he tried to keep his voice steady but knew that it shook a little.

Dalton had spotted the intruder shortly after he had snuck through the fence, but the man's actions intrigued him. He didn't go to knock out the sentries, he didn't signal anyone on the outside; if Dalton didn't know any better he'd say the man was alone in this. Challenging the man brought an instant response of obedience as the man turned to face Dalton.

Definitely some Latin blood in his background, he had dark hair, brown eyes, and was around five feet ten inches tall, probably weighing in at 120 or 130 pounds. His first response was 'don't shoot', which intrigued Dalton even more. This was one of White's guys, he recognized him from the crowd of agents and police around Jam Pony; so why wasn't he shooting first? Dalton challenged him again, pointing out that he was one of White's goons.

The man stiffened visibly, sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Not anymore," there was an audible tremor in the man's voice.

"Who are you?" Dalton started walking towards him slowly, watching the man's every move.

Otto breathed a sigh of relief as the Transgenic seemed to deem him not worthy of instant death. "My name is Otto," he answered the boy's question, for he looked like a teenager.

"Mine's Dalton," the boy said, stopping a few feet away from Otto.

Otto nodded in acknowledgement, not sure what to do next.

"What are you doing in here, if you're not one of White's men?"

"I want answers about a few things," Otto said as he carefully lowered his arms; they were getting rather sore from him holding them in the air.

Dalton made no move to make the man raise his arms again, though he did keep a keen eye on where each hand was. "About?"

"Who White is."

Dalton shrugged his shoulders. "And?"

"Look," Otto stepped forward. "I don't know why you're being hunted by your own kind, but quite frankly I want to know, because if this is some sort of sectorial battle between two factions, I'm not going to let innocent human beings get dragged into it."

Dalton blinked several times, furrowing his brow. "White's not one of us."

"Oh, really? Then how'd he throw an oaken desk across a room single handedly?" Otto challenged. That seemed to strike a cord with the boy.

_So,_ Dalton thought. _The monster has revealed himself_. "Follow me," he told Otto, motioning for him to go first.

Otto obediently turned and started walking, his heart beating swiftly. "Where are you taking me?"

"I think you need to talk to Logan," was the only response he got.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Logan took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, stretching before returning to researching. He was getting frustrated at the lack of any concrete data on White. Frustrated and angry. He knew Max needed this, she needed this closure - and they all needed White off their backs somehow, even if it was just for a short time.

He looked over his shoulder when he heard Mole shout a challenge, then all the guards stiffened and pointed their guns at the person who just walked in. Dalton was standing in front of someone in a suit, seemingly trying to dissuade Mole from shooting the man. "What's going on?" Logan asked.

"Lily liver here is protecting an Ordinary!" Mole growled.

Logan stood and walked down the steps quickly, recognizing the man when he reached the bottom of the stairs. "You're one of White's men."

Mole shoved Dalton out of the way. "Even more reason to shoot him!"

"No!" Dalton grabbed the shot gun by the barrel and shoved the muzzle upward, pulling the butt back at the same time to make sure it didn't go off accidently. He actually succeeded in ripping the gun out of Mole's hand, which left the Transhuman standing shocked for a moment. "He isn't one of White's guys anymore!"

"Well then why don't we just invite him in for drinks of champagne and show him all our eggs, ya little -"

"Hey!" Logan yelled, getting both of their attention. "Why don't we just let Dalton explain? He's got a reason for what he's doing."

"How do you know that, human?" Mole turned the term into an insult.

"He's a Transgenic - he's an X5, and he's smart. Militarily, strategically, and the kid has a cutting edge common sense. Unlike you sometimes." Logan knew it was dangerous to insult Mole, but sometimes that was the only language the man seemed to get.

"White threw a solid oaken desk against a wall, _single handedly_, in front of Otto," Dalton said.

"So?!" Mole reached and wrenched his shot gun back.

Logan grabbed the barrel, pursing his lips and furrowing his brow. "Really?"

Dalton nodded mutely. "His heart beat stayed constant, he looked me in the eye of his own will, and his pupils stayed consistent."

"Meaning?" Logan had to ask, surprised the kid noticed all that.

"Meaning either this Ordinary's one heck of a liar, or he is actually telllin' us the pearly truth," Mole cradled the shot gun as he crossed his arms.

"I'm not lying," Otto finally spoke up for himself.

"All liars say that," Mole leaned forward threateningly.

Dalton ignored him, focusing on Logan. "Considering the dead ends, I figured he should talk to you first."

But Logan was already shaking his head. "This needs to be Max's decision."

"Yeah," Mole agreed. "Where is our fearless leader, anyway?"

Logan glared at Mole before turning away and walking up the stairs. "I'll get hold of her, see when she can get back. You should probably put Otto in one of the cells, just to be cautious."

"Good thinking," Dalton grabbed Otto's arm, making the guy jump, and led him over to the confinement cells Luke had built to the side of the room.

"I don't think he should be in the -"

"Mole, could you help me with this," Logan cut him off from the balcony above.

Mole stopped and looked at the human, incredulous. What?! he didn't answer to him! But he went up the stairs anyway, intent on reaming the guy out. Logan beat him to the bat however.

"Do you really think it's wise to reveal this is our command center?!" Logan spoke in a whisper that most humans would not have heard, but Mole's hearing picked it up fine.

The statement made Mole stop and think, surprised at the humans wisdom. Otto had no way of knowing what this place was. Unless someone identified it in front of him. Oops.

Logan saw the light dawn behind Mole's eyes and turned away. "Thanks; I'll tell Max that," he said, loud enough that if Otto wanted to hear he would've.

Mole turned away and walked downstairs, signaling everyone outside for an impromptu brush up on what to say and not say in front of a potential enemy.

Logan sighed as he sat down, picking up the phone to dial Max's pager. He hoped she'd taken it to whatever 'surprise' Joshua had taken her to see.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Max sat back with a full stomach, smiling and thanking Shirley for the meal. It had been quite good; a stir fry type dish with homemade egg noodles instead of rice with peppers, onions, chicken, and tomatoes in the 'topping'. Accompanied by some delicious cheese biscuits and wine glasses filled with chilled tea, the meal was simple and elegant. And it hit the spot.

Just as Max was about to ask Joshua something her pager went off.

Leaning her head on the back of her chair and groaning slightly she stood and walked to check it.

"Who is it?" Alec asked from the table, his head cocked to the side. He'd been doing that a lot tonight, cocking his head. Max guessed he was listening to movement and heart rates to identify what was going on and where everyone was, what their mood was like. Shaking herself she checked the number again. "TC HQ."

"The phone's by the door," Shirley started collecting the dishes, Joshua helping her. When Alec went to stand Shirley put a hand on his shoulder and said they had it - no need to strain himself.

Surprisingly, he just nodded quietly and obediently sat back down.

Max picked the phone up and dialed the HQ phone, smiling when she heard Logan's voice say hello. "Me bumpin' back."

_"Hey Max,"_ Alec turned in his chair and cocked his head to hear better, focusing on Max and Logan's conversation and blanking Joshua and Shirley out.

_"You should get back here as soon as you can, if the surprise is over."_

Max looked at Alec, obviously listening in as he sat half facing her with a look of complete concentration on his face, as she responded. "Yeah, I'm green to come back. What's up?"

"_Dalton found one of White's guys sniffing this side of the fence - he says he's not White's guy anymore,"_ Logan hurriedly assured her. _"Says his name is Otto and that White threw an oaken desk against a wall singlehandedly in front of Clemente and some other guys after firing Otto shortly after they got back to the police station the day White and Clemente came to talk to you."_ Logan finished, waiting for her response apprehensively.

_The day after Alec died,_ she thought silently. "Okay," she scuffed her feet, feeling awkward for some reason. How on earth was she going to tell everyone else Alec was still alive?

"_Okay."_ Logan sounded worried at Max's odd tone. _"You okay?"_

"Yeah," she said it a little to fast. "I'm fine, don't worry. I'll be headed back as soon as I can. Don't let him wander -"

"_He's in Luke's cell, Mole's got a couple guards on him, just 'cause."_

"'Kay. Mole hasn't shot him?"

"_It was a little tense at first, but everyone's cool for now. That could change, depending on tempers and, ya know - chance."_

"Yeah," Max bit her lip. "Well, I gotta go. Can't talk all the way home," she laughed lightly.

"_Yeah,"_ Logan nodded even though she couldn't see him. She was laughing. Wow. That surprise must've worked.

"See ya," she hung up, turning to Shirley and Joshua. "Something happened at TC, I gotta get back to handle it."

"That's fine," Shirley nodded, smiling. "My doors open any time, and you can bring friends whenever you want."

"Yeah," Max nodded, smiling tightly. "I'm not to sure how everyone is going to handle this; I think we should take it slowly." She walked over to Alec, sitting oppisite him. "I don't think we should let your survival be common knowledge right away. White took you for a reason, and I want to know what's going on in that bastard's head before we do anything, 'kay?"

"Sounds smart," he smiled brightly, nodding as he sat on his hands, head hanging down. If he could've seen he would've been studying his lap.

Max nodded, impulsively hauling him to his feet to wrap him in a hug. He stood stiff for a second before relaxing slightly and hugging her back. "We'll get through this." she stepped back, resting her hands on both of his shoulders. "_You_ will get through this. It's no worse than what Manticore did to us."

"Actually it's a little easier than some of the stuff they did," he said, smiling confidently. She knew it was fake; it was too forced, to bright. A mask he put on to keep himself strong by hiding what he was really feeling - because if no one else knew what he was feeling, he didn't really feel it, right?

She shook her head and sighed, taking them both by surprise when she stood on her tip toes and kissed his forehead. "Just keep getting better, please," she whispered, then walked away. "Josh, you can stay here for the night if you want. I'll cover, say you're staying with a friend - which is true," she started putting her coat, buttoning it up.

"I'll stay, stay with Alec. Get him walking tomorrow," Joshua said excitedly.

Max froze. Alec hadn't been walking? but he was walking now. Moving slowly she put the hat on, tying the string under her chin. Then again, walking wasn't going to be as simple as it had been before. Alec couldn't walk into a room and know where everything was. He'd have to learn the lay out before he could move confidently. She nodded, trying to wrap her head around the concept of Alec being blind - this was going to change a lot of things. A lot. " I have to go," she turned to the door. "Thank you, Shirley, be careful, Alec - Thankyou, Joshua," she turned back briefly to look him in the eye. "It was a good surprise."

Joshua smiled and waved, then sighed as she shut the door and ran to the road, slipping around the gate to run to the city and make her way to TC. She'd be fine. The coat concealed her well and she was smart - super smart.

Joshua and Shirley turned as one to look at Alec as he stood beside the table looking utterly lost and alone.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

White was about ready to rip somebody's head off. Or, more accurately, he was _beyond_ ready to rip somebody's head off. All of his agents knew it too, so they steered clear of him as much as possible, leaving notes, files, and full coffee cups either on his desk while he was pacing outside or on the floor outside his office door while he was strangling the hand exercise ball.

Three weeks. Three, miserable, wasted, useless weeks spent looking for that scum bag that had crawled out of the 'secure' holding building. And not one trace, scent, or sign of him. The kidnapping had gone down like gold. They hadn't even had to raid the Transgenic head quarters - he'd delivered himself right into White's grasp. And everyone had automatically assumed that 494 must've been dead when White took the body bag off the scene, so that went well.

What White couldn't understand was how on Earth 494 had managed to snap the restraints, slug, bite, scratch, and shoot every guard on the premises and then walk away into the bloody thin air! White's desk lamp smashed against the wall, the third this week, as he sat back down and put his feet on his desk, kicking the pile of files off of his desk in the process. The bosses were getting, well, scratch that - they _were_ disgusted with his lack of progress, but the fact was, there was no 494 to be found.

A scattered group of people had told tales the night of 494's escape about how they had found a wandering Trangenic and taught him a lesson. But there was no body. There was no rumor of him getting up and walking away.

So, he'd gone to see 452 the next morning, figuring he'd find her smug and satisfied, laughing in his face, but no. No - instead she'd slugged the Leiutenant and White had gotten dropped into a mud puddle by a seven and a half foot _giant_. A giant, for crying out loud. What on earth did Manticore want with a _Giant_?!

So Max thought 494 was dead, and therefore, through extension, the entire population of Terminal City thought he was dead. So where was he!

White sprang to his feet and ripped his jacket off the rack, slamming his office door open. Every agent in the room froze instantaneously, eyes on him. He ignored them all, getting in his car and gunning it, headed away from them and all their stupid questions and theories. There was only one option left as to where 494 was; he'd left Seattle. White slammed his palm against the steering wheel. But where did he go! They'd gone through all the camera footage, checked every record of sector passes, and had even flown helicoptors looking for a camp in the woods, but every effort came up empty.

494 was the type that could get up and leave, White knew. Arrogant, self centered, no ties, carefree loner that he was, he'd probably been sitting under Max's thumb just waiting for the chance to run. And White had given it to him; with a clean get away from Max in the bargain, doggone it. White gripped the wheel until his knuckles turned bone white, gritting his teeth. He'd actually helped the selfish bastard make a clean getaway!

But there was one thing 494 probably hadn't counted on; White's resources, and his knowledge of how 494 worked. 494 was a talker - he'd say anything if he thought he was going to gain by doing so. And he loved the ladies. Combine those two elements, and all White had to do was figure out who 494 was most likely to talk to about a trip, or a destination, even a possible destination, and White had him. The problem was, she was turning out to be harder to break than most veteran marines White had had the occasion to interrogate had been.

White parked and cut the engine, slamming his door just 'cause he felt like doing so. Walking into the building he nodded a greeting at the two front guards and went straight through to the middle room, shutting the door behind him and handing his jacket to the 'doctor' that was already in the room.

"She talked yet?" he asked, studying the blonde in front of him

"Only to say she has no idea what is going on, or where 494 is. She's even trying to deny she knows who 494 _is_," the man folded the jacket, setting it on a shelf by the door.

"Oh she knows," White walked to behind her, gripping a handful of her hair to pull her head back so she was looking at him upside down. "Pretty boy, hustles pool; blonde, like you. Green eyes, barcode on the back of his neck, designation 331845739494. Likes to call himself 'Alec', works as a Jam Pony messenger. Asked you out a couple of times, shared beer pitchers. I believe you slept together once?"

"We never did - he invited me to his place, nothing happened," she spat, defiant even after all she'd been through.

White looked into her blue eyes, narrowing his brown ones. Sighing he released her, smacking the back of her head. "Lying!"

"I am not lying! I never slept with him!"

White smiled at the other man over her head. "So you do know him?"

"I have never denied that."

"Oh really," White walked around her to bend down, looking her in the eye again.

"I didn't know 494 was his 'designation' or whatever. I know him as Alec, and I don't know where he is!"

White straightened up, shaking his head. "That's not good enough." He stood with his hands on his hips for a moment, then slugged her. The chair tipped over readily, being unsteady with all four legs of different lengths.

Biting her lip she fought the urge to scream, knowing it would just give the sadistic man satisfaction.

"Asha, Asha, Asha," White righted the chair, gripping her hair and pulling again. "I'm getting tired of your lies. Maybe I can persuade you to help us?"

"Bite me," she whispered through clenched teeth, biting her lip harder as she fought tears.

"How about this?" White pulled her backward by her hair, unbalancing the chair again. He let it fall freely, smiling as she screamed when the back of the chair landed on her arms, which were tied behind her. "You help me find 'Alec', and I won't kill your precious mother and her ten cats."

Asha just lay silently, fighting sobs as she shook her head. "Why do you even want him?" she finally bit out.

"That's for me to know, and you to not care about," he crouched next to her, cocking his head to the side. "Now. The love you hate for leaving you after winning your heart, or the mother who has always been there for you?"

"You don't-" she started.

"I don't what? Actually know where she is?" he smirked. "18256-45th Avenue South - five bedrooms, four of which she freely provides for homeless families as her daughter never comes home anymore. It's a 2,370 square foot house with two full baths, a nice back yard that she tends all day long as long as there's light while her house bound invalid of a husband tends to food and supplies via his contacts in the police department. Contacts you are very careful not to tap lest your family be discovered and used against you because you know that they are your greatest weakness.

"You lost your older brother as a veteran to the war over seas before the pulse, your younger sister died from lack of a rare medicine to treat her very rare nerve disorder. Medicine you almost died yourself in trying to obtain. Two days later you tracked down the leader of the S1W and demanded to be enlisted in their cause," he shook his head and smiled sadly at her. "You see, Asha, I know everything about you, your family, every lover you've ever had-"

"And yet you need my help in finding one, insignificant, blonde, pool hustler," she laughed softly. "Not as all powerful as you thought, eh?"

Raising his fist again White was stopped by the other occupant of the room. "There are other ways, agent."

Considering her for a moment, White nodded, standing to let the man right her chair again. This was not going as well as he'd like, but it was better than strangling balls and smashing lamps.

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Joshua silently walked down the hall, listening intently. He entered the infirmary room, Alec's room, carefully looking around.

After Max had left, Shirley and Joshua had done the dishes, washing them all up and putting them away. And then when Joshua had turned around to say something to Alec as they were finishing up he'd realized with a start that Alec was no longer sitting at the table. They had both combed the downstairs, and then a knock had come at the door.

It was one of Shirley's clients, come looking for some advice on how to treat a long term cough. Shirley had sent Joshua upstairs to keep him safe and told him to keep looking for Alec. He had looked in all the rooms, checking the shadows and calling softly, but he hadn't found his friend yet. And this room looked just as empty as all the others had been.

But wait.

The sound of breathing, coming from the corner of the room farthest from the door.

Joshua quietly walked towards the sound, frowning when he saw Alec curled up in the corner shivering with his knees held tight to his chest by one arm and his forehead resting on his other arm across the tops of his knees.

Moving slowly Joshua sat down next to his friend, gently touching shoulder to shoulder as he waited for Alec to respond.

It was about half an hour before Alec even acknowledged that Joshua was sitting next to him, but Joshua let him. He knew Alec was having a harder time with this than he was showing everyone. And Joshua also knew that Alec needed to deal with the emotions he was feeling, but he didn't know how, and he couldn't do it alone.

Alec had felt Joshua sit down next to him, but he didn't look up. Not that it would've done him any good to look at his friend. He couldn't see him. He couldn't see anything. He bit his lip and deliberately took a deep breath, determined not to cry. There was nothing to cry about, and soldiers didn't cry. Machines didn't cry. They just, did - did their job and didn't look back. Alec was a machine.

He had been a machine - killing without question, hesitation, emotion. He went through life without any feeling, any pain. Right now he desperately wanted to be a machine again, but he just didn't know how to - he couldn't ignore it any more, couldn't swallow the lump any more. But he didn't know what to do.

Joshua felt Alec's shoulders shake a couple times, listening to his friend's labored breathing. Putting an arm around him to pull him closer Joshua tucked Alec's head underneath his chin, holding him tight as the flood gates opened. Alec hugged him back fiercely, as tightly as his weak muscles would let him. Humming deep in his chest Joshua rocked his friend back and forth, pulling the smaller man completely into his lap, like a little child curled up and crying.

He was finally crying.

Alec tried to hold it back, to quell the wrenching sobs wracking his frame, but he couldn't stop, couldn't make the tears stay back and the pain go away, so he just surrendered to his fear, and pain, and helplessness, and just let himself cry.

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Shirley shut the door with a grateful sigh, standing with her head leaning on the door, hand resting on the knob, just breathing for a few seconds. "Man, that woman likes talking," she finally mumbled, turning away from the solid wood doors to start up the stairs, sighing again.

The visit had slighlty worn her out, as most social interactions with people she didn't really know that well did. She felt compelled to be defensive and reserved, yet polite and helpful. Balancing those two contradictory instincts wore her out.

It was different with Joshua and Alec she realized, thinking about it. She was to busy making sure they felt accepted and safe, she didn't really care how they viewed her as a person, yet both of them had seemed to accept her as she was. Maybe that was the secret to finding true friends, she thought, reaching the second floor and tiredly opening the door, wrapped up in her own reflections. Just being one's self around everyone and holding on to the people who accepted her, ignoring the people who didn't.

She froze upon untering Alec's room, realizing suddenly that a background noise she'd been blocking out wasn't quite a background noise. Retreating as silently as she could she made her way back to the stairs and breathed deeply leaning with her back against the door.

Alec. Oh, Alec. She knew he was struggling with being blind - struggling with it a lot more than he was showing, as a matter of fact, but she also knew that he barely knew her.

Sure he trusted her, allowed her to tend to him, give him medicines, but he was still slightly offish. He had been at her house for three weeks, but he'd been unconscious for most the time until about half a week ago. Besides, men were never comfortable venting emotions around women. They felt it made them look weak, un-manly.

"We're all human, we're all weak," she muttered, picking a book that she could curl up with on the couch . She was a little sick of reading, honestly, but it was the only pastime she could think of that would hold her attention and keep her from creeping upstairs to eavesdrop on Alec's break down out of pure curiousity. Passing her drawing desk she stopped short, looking at the dust covered sketch book sideways.

Shrugging she tossed the book on the couch, making a mental note not to sit on it later. She hadn't drawn in over two months. She hadn't had any subjects that inspired her. Now? Now she had two.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

Alec sat in Joshua's lap, completely aware of how ridiculous this entire situation probably looked as he wiped his eyes and _hiccupped_, for crying out loud. He was hiccupping! Transgenics didn't hiccup. Even the babies were seen as unhealthy if they hiccupped.

He felt his body jerk with yet another one and just gave up fighting it. He relaxed into the Transhumans embrace, closing his eyes and breathing as deeply as possible. He was tired. Worn out, physically and emotionally.

"Alec better?" Joshua asked tentatively, carressing Alec's head gently before beginning to massage his shoulders.

Alec groaned at the pure ridiculous of it all. "Stop," he smacked Joshua's hand, shocked when he could barely raise his hand.

"Alec worn out," Joshua ceased his massage and wrapped his arms around his friend, rocking them both. He was happy. He knew that Alec had been fighting his tears for far to long. Tears weren't something you fought. They needed to be let out.

"I feel like such a girl," Alec said, whispering technically because he was so weak from the emotional outburst, but Joshua could hear him fine.

"Why?"

Alec shifted uncomfortably before settling down again, shrugging awkwardly.

"Tears are nothing to be ashamed of Alec," Joshua said, breathing deeply as he continued to rock them.

"Tell that to Manticore," Alec mumbled.

Joshua heard the bitterness in his friends voice and wondered how he should answer. Manticore wasn't here, Alec shouldn't let them continue to rule his life; but Joshua knew that would only make Alec defensive and close his heart up. Instead Joshua settled for quoting something he'd read.

"Tears aren't a sign of weakness - they are the rain that washes the wounds, cleanses the pain, dulls the edges - they are the elixir that cures all ills. They come from joy, they come from pain. They come from within us - but they only work when we let them go, let them flow, run. Smooth and salty, down our faces as they take our fears, pains, and sorrows away, washing our hearts, soothing our souls. Jesus wept - and we are supposed to embody Him as best we can with the help of the Father and the Ghost. So, we weep - and we find ourselves a little closer to peace than we were before," he finished, feeling Alec's muscles rigid against him.

Alec was silent, processing what he'd just heard. "Joshua, where . . ."

"Father's books. Journals, a jounal. A girl's journal, in the basement. Words in ink, speaking through time, speaking to me. They stuck, stuck to me, in my heart . . ." he paused, feeling Alec slowly relax again.

"That's uh," Alec swallowed. "That's pretty, uh, pretty insightful."

Joshua chuckled.

"What?!" Alec sounded offended, crossing his arms and ducking his head like a sulky child.

"We are not the first to live, Alec - not the first to hurt, feel pain. Feel hatred, suffer from other's hatred. Not the first."

"So the first is telling me we aren't the first, eh?" Alec joked lightly.

Joshua chuckled again, feeling happy and content. Alec had heard him - and he would remember, even if he thought it was a little ridiculous now. He'd remember it, and he would continue to think on it.

"What happened?" Joshua asked quietly, well aware he was pushing the line by asking so soon.

"When?" Alec hedged, knowing full well what Joshua meant.

"When White took you - mob found you," Joshua shifted so he could cradle the Transgenics body better. Alec was surprisingly small in comparison to Joshua, especially right now when he was so weak and undernourished. Those two and a half weeks unconscious had been a difficult time as far as getting food into Alec.

Alec was silent again for several minutes, thinking back over those memories. He didn't particularly want to discuss those events, they were still to fresh, the wounds were still healing. But someone needed to know, and Alec was sick of hiding from them, hiding from the pain. He was sick of hiding period.

Pushing himself up so that he was more upright in Joshua's lap he rested his head against his friend, eyes open though he couldn't see. "What does the room look like, Joshua?"

Joshua pursed his lips as much as he could and tilted his head, looking at it from an artistic point of view. He was careful not to disturb Alec when he moved his head though. "Dark, black. Moist shadows, ink lines. Night fog on the far wall, black light from outside. Clouds, clouds outlined by moon on wall, shifting, dancing. Moon out . . ." he stopped to think of the word he wanted. "Sporadically. Playing hide and seek. Blue dark on objects. No light on, all dark. Resting, peaceful. Night."

Alec nodded sleepily, feeling his eyelids dragged closed by exhaustion. He was sore; he could feel his muscles protesting just existing as he rested, completely relaxed in his friends embrace. If ever Joshua told Max about this, Alec would kill him.

"I don't remember the ride," Alec started, startling Joshua. He'd thought Alec had fallen asleep. "I remember waking up though. Pain, pain and blackness. I couldn't see, couldn't, couldn't identify anything much. The escape's mostly pain, though there are a few clearer images of it. Snapping the restraints, biting the person trying to make me stop screaming. Punching the guard in front of me after I got my hands apart from my chest. They'd had me," Alec shifted so he could demonstrate. "Wrists bound together, one on top of the other, a strap wrapped around my shoulders holding them to my chest so I couldn't grasp or flail. Slipped the strap over my head after rolling off the bed and slugged the man in front of me. At least, I think it was a guy. I'm not sure though.

"I broke someone's hand, pretty sure. Grabbed the gun they were holding against my kneck and twisted, rammed it into their wind pipe. Or maybe it was somebody elses windpipe I rammed it into?" he furrowed his brow, unable to recall exactly. "Taught a few of the buggers about the definition of dead weight. They thought they'd just grab me and drag - good thing I know how to relax completely under pressure, or they'd have succeeded."

Joshua chuckled with his friend, listening intently. He could tell Alec was tired, but he also knew that Alec needed to get this out so that at least one other person understood what had happened. And sharing was a step towards healing, so. There was no way Joshua was ever going to tell Max about the way Alec was sitting in Joshua's lap completely relaxed and half asleep, recounting a tale of his own torture. Joshua would never tell anyone.

"Busted their front window," Alec continued, shifting so he could lay kind of sideways with his knees bent into a semi fetal position, his head under Joshua's chin. "Ran. Ran, and ran - well, stumbled and staggered I guess in reality, but I was running in my mind. Couldn't see, just guessed. Anywhere that wasn't there. Found a corner to sit and rest in, I think I tried to tie my leg up but I don't remember. I hurt, I remember that much. Like there was fire in my veins, magma. Like they'd pumped me full of magma and set up a rock band in my head. Then the whispers started, like a wind. Wind of death. I tried to start moving again, but . . ." Alec shook his head weakly, yawning widely. He sat silently for a few seconds, not really doing anything but breathing. "The first hit was on my mind."

Joshua frowned for a moment, confused.

"I mean head, the first hit was on my head. Felt like a batter had just home runned my head. You know I actually saw stars for a few seconds," he laughed lightly, sighing. "Tried to fight back, to curl up and defend; get up and punch back, rip the pipes away and run 'em through, but I couldn't move. Third or fifth hit to my head an' I was out for the count. Funny," he mumbled, his voice growing indistinct. "First fight that ever really mattered and I was down before it began."

Joshua could tell the memory was upsetting Alec by the way his muscles were sporadically tensing and he was beginning to breath fast, toss and turn his head.

"Shhh," Joshua cooed, resting a warm hand on Alec's forehead. "Shhhhh, that's enough. Enough stories from you tonight. Time to sleep." He kept shhing and cooing until he felt his friend relax again, breathing deeper and more evenly.

Alec liked the warmth on his forehead, the sound like a wind in his ears. He would never admit it, but he missed the warmth of a warm body next to him while he was sleeping - the comfort of never being alone. He'd missed that after being assigned as a solo agent. Missed the bunkmates, his unit. Biggs, all his other comrades from his unit while growing up in Manticore. All those times they had waited until all the guards were gone and they could bean pile on the floor like a mass of kittens and puppies. He hadn't realized how much he missed that warmth of a friend nearby until he was partially asleep, listening to Joshua's heartbeat and breathing.

"Don't leave," Joshua heard Alec mumble. "Stay with me, tonight? please."

"Joshua stay. Not leaving," he reassured his exhausted friend, settling in against the wall as he pulled a blanket off of the shelf next to the them and lay it over Alec. "Have no fear, not leaving. Never leaving. Joshua never leave Alec, ever."

Alec drifted off to sleep with those words echoing in his mind, writing themselves on his heart. No one had ever told him they would never leave him before. Not once.

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Shirley stood looking at the two friends with her heart in her throat, eyes misty at the utter loyalty that existed between the two of them. She'd spent five hours downstairs just drawing. Pictures of Morph, a self portrait; then she'd started on character sketches of Joshua and Alec. And then she'd come upstairs to find this.

Alec was completely exhausted; she could tell by the dark circles under his eyes, the way he was just sleeping, breathing deeply, not dreaming. His eyes were still, closed and peaceful. He looked so young when he was asleep. And now, wrapped in Joshua's protective embrace, Joshua's head resting against the wall with Alec's forehead resting against Joshua's kneck, back flat to Joshua's regularly moving chest, hands resting on Joshua's interlocked hands. They looked like two angels.

Finally the scene was too much for Shirley. She went down stairs and got out her big sketch book, grabbing her pencils, an eraser, and going back upstairs and back into the room as quietly as she could, sitting cross legged a fair distance away.

Pausing before beginning, she looked at them again. "Alec'll kill me for this," she shook her head, smiling. Setting pencil to paper she began drawing the two friends, telling herself that she wouldn't show anyone - she'd just keep it as a reminder of two men that she loved, for after they left to return to their own.

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Max arrived at the fenceline without incident, slipping back inside via the tunnel Joshua had made. She wove her way to the command center and entered without any ceremony.

Mole leapt to attention, pointing his shotgun right at her head before pausing. "Max?" he asked around his cigar.

She nodded, moving around him to study the startled Agent. Hmmm. She recognized him from several of her encounters with the Special Agent slash Cult follower.

"He's not said much, no one's questioned him yet - we were waiting fer your go ahead on any action or plan. Where's Joshua?"

Max was used to Mole's swift debriefing and keen observation skills, though sometimes she got a little tired of the clipped tone and sneering expression. "He's staying at a friend's house tonight. Handling the whole thing with Alec, you know," she hoped she wasn't reinforcing the lie of Alec's death, but she really didn't feel like explaining the situation to anyone right now, especially Mole.

Otto stood patiently, eyes on Max glancing at Mole every few seconds.

"You gave an indication that you have information that could help us against White," Max said matter of factly, cutting her discussion with Mole off to be continued another time.

Otto nodded, then shook his head. "I can help you, give some information on him, but I don't really know what you mean. I was under the impression that White was a Transgenic."

Mole snorted. "Oh, I would pay to see White's expression when he hears that."

Max rolled her eyes and stepped closer to the bars, crossing her arms as she stood in a relaxed pose in front of Otto. "White is part of an old breeding cult that is bent on genetic superiority for all of it's 'members' so that they can inherit the earth from the percieved weaklings of the other humans. The Transgenics pose a threat to that whole plan because we're basically genetically on par with them. Beyond that, we don't really know what their whole plan and diabolical plot is, though you're welcome to join us, if you swear to be _with_ _**us**_."

Otto stood completely still for a minute, thinking as he blinked rapidly. "What?"

Max sighed, not hearing Logan come up behind her.

"Maybe I could help?" his soft voice beside her made her start ever so slightly.

"Go ahead," she turned and walked away, going to stand by Mole and Luke at the bottom of the stairs.

Mole snorted in contempt. "Humans. Succinctly and precisely put and they need filler crap put in it in order for their brains to process it."

"Yeah," Max smiled gently, readying a sarcastic retort. "Kinda makes you wonder how they managed to engineer us, huh?"

"Yeah, it does," Mole agreed, completely missing her sarcastic tone.

Max just snorted quietly and ignored him. That was one thing neither would agree with the other on - the intelligence and importance of humans.

A few hours later and Otto finally had his head wrapped around the concept of an occult breeding program bent on world domination through superior genes - and the fact that White was one of their main soldier supporters.

Mole sat at the table rolling his cigar in his mouth mumbling about humans and stupidity while Max sat rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"So, what do you want to know?" Otto asked nervously, still processing the fact that he basically just signed up to support and assist the very people he had been bent on illeminating not even a month before.

"Did you notice anything odd about him?" Max beat Logan to it, wanting to know a little more about the person and less about the personae. All the paper facts in the world wouldn't help her understand how the man's brain worked - and that was what she really needed to know right now.

"'How so?" he asked, puzzled slightly.

"Like, any character quirks that might help us gain a better understanding of what the Cult is planning. Something that just didn't fit with everything else you knew about him."

"Well, he's married," Otto offered, wracking his brain for things he actually knew about the man.

"We know that," Logan spoke up, taking notes of the conversation.

"Did he ever mention them in his work?" Max cut Logan off again, giving him a 'let me handle this, busy body' glare.

"No - he got called by his wife a few times one day. Actually left the office to handle an 'emotional episode' with her," Otto said, sitting on his hands to keep from cracking his knuckles out of pure nervousness.

"And lately? Have you noticed any calls, or messages from his wife?"

Logan looked at her sideways, unsure where she was headed - White's wife was dead, and Max knew that.

"Well, no," Otto shook his head, stopping abruptly. "Although, he did mention something about a private investigator being on retainer to find her. Apparently she left him, took their son with her. He's been looking for her and Raye ever since."

"How do you know?" Max leaned forward, intrigued. So, White was covering up the fact that he had killed his wife by hiring a P.I. to find her. Smart.

"I was bringing him a message one day, overheard a heated argument about what her habits were, how likely she was to change them - then when he came out of his office he was muttering curses about private investigators and their exorbinant retaining rates."

"What Investigator?"

"Um," Otto rubbed his forehead, thinking.

"Did you hear what firm it was . . ." she tried helping by jogging something.

"I heard the name, it was kind of distinctive, but I can't remember it now; it was . . ."

"What letter did it start with?" Logan offered, knowing that it worked for him.

"Um . . ." the former agent closed his eyes and leaned back, thinking hard. "H. It began with an H, I believe."

Max ran through her log of businesses in Seattle, coming up empty.

"Homes and Water?" Luke's chipper voice offered from above them.

"Yes!" Otto's eyes flew open and he smiled. "That's it - I knew it was something distinctive."

"Homes and Water?" Mole was increduluous. "Seriously?"

"Sounds like a play on 'Holmes and Watson', the fictional investigators created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," Logan said as he rubbed his pencil back and forth on his top lip. "It's a lead." he turned to Max. "Not much, but . . ."

"More than we had before," Max nodded. "Anything else you can think of?"

"He was watching the stars a few weeks ago," he said matter of factly. "That's about the only other thing I can remember right now."

Max and the others just sat and looked at him blankly.

"The stars?" Max finally said.

"Mm-hmm. The meteors, or shooting stars - whatever you wanna call them. That was actually around the time of the hostage incident at Jam Pony."

Max's eyes widened at that connection, then her mind leapt to another completely different connection. "About the same time those runes showed up."

Her and Logan's eyes met over the table.

"Runes that spoke of a darkness that would cover the entire earth," Logan spoke slowly, thinking it through.

"Comets can affect that earth like that, right?"

"Yeah, but the only really famous comets, like the Hale-Bopp, Swift-Tuttle, Hyakutake, Halley's, and Shoemaker-Levy, to name a few, pass several million miles from us. They couldn't really do that much damage. And about the only impact possibility is the Swift-Tuttle Comet-"

"What if it's a comet that doesn't come that often?" Max interrupted.

"Comets don't come around around that often period-" Logan started.

"Okay, okay - try this. A comet that takes over a thousand years to come again, that has such a strong effect on Earth or something on Earth that it could create a time of disease and famine. Such a disease that only those who were genetically capable of withstanding such an infection could survive it. Is that possible?"

"I'd think there would have to be a record of such a thing in a thousand year span-"

"Without actually trying to prove or disprove it right now! Would it be plausible that a comet, passing close enough to earth, could cause such a disease that you'd have to be genetically superior to everyone else in order to survive, yet no one knew because the reports were old and like legends. Or buried by, say, an occult breeding program. Would that be plausible?" Max snapped, wishing Logan could read her moods just a little bit better.

Logan jumped at Max's harsh tone, but scolded himself a second later - he should've known she'd be uptight and want exact answers. This was White they were discussing after all. "Uh," he did some quick thinking, narrowing his eyes. "Maybe?" he offered.

"Maybe," Max nodded. "So there is a possibility that this darkness I'm supposed to fight off is caused by a _comet_?"

Logan nodded.

"How am I supposed to stop a bloody _comet_ from killing everyone?!"

Logan spread his arms wide and shrugged exaggeratedly, raising his eyebrows and widening his eyes at the same time. "I might have gotten the translation wrong?" he offered, knowing that it was not a comfort but not knowing what else to say.

Sighing heavily Max crossed her arms on the table and rested her forehead on them. "Great." she muttered.

"Or, maybe, we're misinterpretting the way you're going to 'fight off' the darkness. It says that the one who's power is hidden will deliver the helpless, it doesn't say _how_ you'll deliver the helpless," Logan offered, knowing the responsibility was weighing on her.

Max just groaned wordlessly. Looking up she run her hand through her wild hair, pulling it out of her face. "I'm gonna kill Sandeman when I finally meet the guy - kill him or slug him."

Logan smiled lovingly. "Yeah - maybe you can make a roster for us all so that we get our turn at the guy, you know?"

Mole rolled his eyes at the two, spitting his cigar out. "So, back to the subject."

"Right," Logan grimaced for a moment, chewing his pencil's eraser.

"We can work with it," Max stood abruptly, smiling brightly. Too brightly. "For now, I would like a little more information on White's wife."

"Really?" Logan raised his eye brows, surprised.

"Well not her exclusively, I mean follow what leads you can, but I want to know just how deep White's lie ran. If his wife didn't know who he really was, that could clue us in on how complete his cover is, you know? And maybe we could find the wife - return his lost love to him. Maybe it would put him in a better mood," Max scribbled a quick note, passed it to Mole, and then left, collecting Otto on her way out.

"We'd better get you a secure quarter to sleep in. We can't let you leave, ya know, for obvious reasons, but we can make you comfortable while we check you out," Max left without saying goodbye, chatting away with their newest ally.

Mole stared at the note for a moment before passing it to Logan with a shrug.

Logan furrowed his brow when he read it, but shrugged and went to the computer to start following up on the new information he'd been given. _Find where the wife's body is - And any other skeletons you can think of. Annie - look into the incident with Annie, if possible. Thanks._

All Logan could do right now was follow where Max's mind pointed her and she pointed him. He hoped that would be enough to help her with whatever she truly needed help with.

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Alec wasn't sure when he had woken up, and quite frankly he was a little disappointed that he had woken up. He felt so secure, laying in Joshua's lap with a blanket tucked around him, Joshua's arms holding him warm and safe. So he just let himself lay there, breathing evenly with his eyes closed.

Joshua knew Alec was awake, though he wasn't sure when the Transgenic had woken up. Joshua wasn't sure when he had woken up. He liked where he was though, Alec's weight real and solid on top of him, safe under his watch where no one could hurt him again. Joshua's eyes wandered over to the door, registering Shirley standing there watching them.

She held her finger to her lips, shushing Joshua and pointing at Alec, then pointing at herself and drawing a line across her neck.

Alec would kill her, or at least be very upset and uncomfortable, if he knew that she was seeing him sleeping comfortably in Joshua's arms. She knew they were just friends - she also knew that Alec was a prideful, private man who didn't like people seeing him vulnerable.

Joshua nodded the smallest bit, shifting slightly to stretch his back and neck muscles.

Shirley made an eating motion with her hands, silently asking if he was hungry. He nodded more, smiling. She turned and left hurriedly as Alec kind of sat up, opening his eyes as he rearranged himself so he wasn't laying as horizontally.

"Are you talking to someone?" he asked suspiciously.

"No," Joshua said, lying and fully aware of the fact that he was.

"Hmm,"Alec relaxed, not believing his friend but willing to allow the lie to stand. He was the one who was silently refusing to get up, after all.

Joshua could tell Alec didn't believe him, but he didn't offer an explaination and Alec didn't push for one, so. They sat there for several more minutes, then Joshua's nose caught a scent.

"Mmmmm," Joshua scented eagerly, his stomach rumbling.

"What is it?" Alec asked sleepily, feeling oddly weak and drained. There was no way he was going to willingly get up.

"Bacon and eggs with sausage, orange juice," Joshua said, licking his lips.

"You can smell all that?" Alec sounded genuinely impressed.

Joshua chuckled from deep in his chest, making Alec smile. "Shirley's specialty - makes it most Sunday mornings."

"Today's Sunday," Alec raised an eyebrow. "Huh. I lost track of the day while I was out of it."

"Sunday or Saturday," Joshua started shifting, moving Alec so he could get up.

"No," Alec protested, knowing what was coming. "Don't, no, don't you dare," he hissed as Joshua finally slid him off onto the tiled floor, sitting up as much as he could. "Josh! this floor is freezing cold!" he complained, hugging his knees to his chest in an effort to fight off the instant chill he felt creeping up on him.

"Patience," Joshua said, although it could've been a sarcastic muttering of 'patients'; Alec wasn't sure.

A moment later Alec felt himself being hauled to his feet and wrapped in a warm fleece blanket. "Doesn't help my feet," he mumbled, complaining out of pure habit.

Joshua looked at his newly awake friend, shivering even with the extra blanket wrapped around him, then looked at his bare feet on the tile floor. Considering him for a split second Joshua stepped in and effortlessly picked him up, cradling him like a child.

"Joshua!" the indignation in Alec's voice made the Transhuman chuckle and laugh.

"Joshua carry Alec - keep feet warm," he started walking, mentally deciding he would have to take the elevator - he didn't want to risk falling down stairs and dropping Alec.

"Josh, just put me down; I'll be fine," Alec muttered, making no bodily effort to get away from his friend.

"Alec weak, not eating regularly. Need to rest more, keep warm - eat more, gain strength. Walk later, later today. I'll help. Teach you the house," Joshua called the elevator and stepped inside it, touching the first floor button with his elbow before leaning against the wall lightly. When the elevator dinged its arrival sound he stepped out, walking over to the couch. Setting Alec down carefully he picked up a book that was sitting abandoned on the one cushion and carefully set it on one of the end tables.

Shirley smiled secretly as she watched Joshua out of the corner of her eye while tending the scrambled eggs and bacon. The sausage was cooking, bread in the toaster oven, with three places set at the table, glasses and silverware set at all three.

Joshua was such a big guy, but you wouldn't know it watching him take care of Alec. He moved with a measured grace, gentle and slow like with a kitten. In a way Alec was a kitten - a kitten with a sharp wit, quick tongue, and a hefty ego.

An ego that was taking quite the bruising this morning. She tried not to laugh listening to Alec complain like a child about how he was quite capable of putting slippers on himself, thankyou, and no, he did not need to be carried to the breakfast table.

He lost on the slipper case, but won the round on walking. When Joshua offered to help him Alec declined, saying he'd just rest on the couch until the meal was ready to be eaten.

Joshua left his friend resting on the couch, walking over to Shirley with joy dancing in his eyes.

"He's doing better," she whispered, well aware the men in the room both had super human hearing.

Joshua nodded, giddy. "Much better," he agreed, a shadow passing over his face.

"What?"

"Alec's weak, not strong. Cold to - runs cold, like ice."

Shirley nodded, biting back curses as she turned the bacon, jumping with every pop from the grease. "It'll take a while for his body to return to normal. And I don't know if it'll ever regain it's normal high temperature for a Transgenic - there may be more brain damage than just the optical nerve."

"I can hear you two," Alec said softly.

It sounded like an incoherent complaint to Shirley, but Joshua heard it fine. "Nothing you shouldn't hear," Joshua answered, looking over at him.

Shirley checked the sausage, pulling the fully cooked ones and turning the ones that weren't done. She glanced at Alec every chance she got, noting the pale skin, dark circles, though they were better than they had been last night. He still appeared exhausted though, but she knew there was no way she could make him not walk around later today. He was convinced that he needed to practice to run a marathon next month, though realistically he probably wouldn't be able to go about his day normally for another couple months, at least, especially with the muscle spasms he had been experiencing.

"May I make a doctors recomendation?" she shut off all the burners, splitting the eggs three ways, which she had expected to, doling out the sausage and bacon similarly. Carrying the three loaded plates over to the table with Joshua's help she went back for the orange juice.

"Yeah, sure - go ahead," Alec said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Take it easy," she pulled the chairs out, going over to the couch to help him untangle himself from the fleece blanket, rewrapping it around his shoulders as Joshua guided him to the chair. Touching her hand to his neck briefly she frowned. Joshua was right. He was like ice. "I don't particularly like the idea of you pushing yourself to much. I'd suggest taking a day to rest, actually. Just, pull a tub of hot water and sit in it till it goes cold, then run it again. You look like death warmed over, only you're ice cold and shivering."

"Am not shivering," he said defiantly, instantly trying to still the tremors of his body.

She shook her head. "You don't need to hide, Alec," she sat down, pouring herself a glass, then one for Joshua. Joshua poured for Alec, then guided Alec's hand to the silverware.

He seemed taken by surprise by her statement, remaining silent for several moments.

Joshua and Shirley let him think, talking about some miscellaneous subjects while he started eating, breathing deeply of the bacon's smell.

"If White finds me, I need to know how the house is set up in case I need to run, or hide," Alec's statement took them both by surprise.

Shirley was about to argue otherwise when she saw Joshua start nodding.

"Alec's right - but Shirley's right too," Joshua said, pondering his answer as he ate another piece of bacon.

"Maybe I could take the measurements of the house and give them to you. You and Joshua can work on contingency plans and memorizing the layout while you take a hot bath," Shirley suggested.

Both men were silent for a second, then nodded in sync. "That sounds like a good idea." Alec said first, Joshua nodding enthusiastically.

"Alec take hot bath - warm up; cold, not good for you."

Alec snorted. "You're telling me."

Shirley nodded in relief, glad that he had agreed to stay off his feet for the day. Thinking back through the night before while watching Alec's trembling hands she realized with shock that he hadn't had his seizure inhibitor in over eight hours. Crap. Considering it for a moment Shirley got up and went upstairs, retrieving a vial of the phenobarbitol cocktail she had perfected.

Coming back down stairs she held it up to show Joshua.

He nodded in understanding, turning to Alec. "Need your medicine."

Alec mistook the statement for a question and shook his head, freezing when he heard Joshua stand up and Shirley walk up beside him.

"Alec," Shirley spoke softly, gently. "If I don't give this to you you may start to seizure. It's an inhibitor, a preventitive measure also - muscle relaxant and nerve soother."

He swallowed nervously and nodded jerkily.

Joshua hugged him tightly, muttering in his ear as Shirley gently and efficiently wiped the crook of his elbow to sanitize it, then inserted the needle and depressed the plunger.

Alec unconsciously jerked when he felt the burning sensation of the liquid being forced into his veins, biting his lip, holding his breath, and closing his eyes. He hated needles - he really, really, really hated needles. He exhaled when he felt the needle pulled out, Shirley's soft voice apologizing as she folded his arm up with a cotton ball on the site of the injection.

Lightly kissing the top of his head Shirley returned to her seat, Joshua following suit. They continued to eat their meal in companiable silence, but Shirley's mind kept spinning a hundred miles an hour. She should see if there was a way to transition Alec onto pills instead of the injections - she also needed to sit down with Joshua and Max and figure out a way to tell everyone in Terminal City that Alec was alive.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Asha lay on her side crying softly, having been untied and put into a cell after they had implanted the explosive next to her brain stem. Thinking about her surrender now it seemed cowardly and weak, but she couldn't bring herself to withdraw it and risk her family being executed. She couldn't live with another of their lives on her conscience; not after what had happened to her sister.

She just hoped Alec was smart enough to take his own advice and stay away from her.

She sat up as the door opened, inwardly groaning when she saw White silhouetted against the light shining in. "Now what?"

"Now?" he smirked. "It's time to begin your job."

He let the door swing open so that two men in coveralls could enter the cell and pull her to her feet, holding her steady as she stood on shaky knees.

"And I'd like to ensure our little agreement is fully understood before I let you just walk out," he approached her, a small sneer of disdain on his face. "You will deliver the X5 designation 494 also known as 'Alec' to my men the first opportunity you are given, and I will not detonate the bomb that's sitting next to your spine beside your brain stem. Understood?"

She nodded, trying to force her legs to support her.

"Good. Now, any failure to comply; any attempt to warn any of the Transgenics or communicate your dilemma to them in any way, written, oral, or signal, I will kill your family. If you help them rescue him by giving them information or if you give yourself up to them after betraying him, I will kill your family. You are mine, Asha Barlow. And you're not getting away any time soon."

Asha's stomach threatened to rebel as he finished his threat, his breath warm on her face. She nodded mutely, her eyes focused on the floor. "I understand," she whispered.

"Get a change of clothes, some medicine, solid food, a shower," he said the last item with obvious contempt, sounding almost bored as he gave the orders. "Then drop her off in Seattle."

"Yes sir," the two men guided her out with care. They were surprisingly gentle and considerate, making Asha wonder if they worked for the cult willingly or if they were in the same boat she was.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Several hours later Asha was walking down the streets of Seattle with her head bowed and shoulders hunched, her mind blank. It wasn't that she didn't have anything to think about. It was the fact that she had _to much_ to think about. She'd been thinking about ways to save her family and not turn Alec over since the deal was first struck, but she had slowly begun to realize that in order to do that she may very well have to sign her own death warrant. She practically already had, allowing White to implant that explosive in her neck.

But she couldn't undo that now. All she could do is hope that Logan left her alone and White didn't get frustrated and kill her family out of spite or anger.

Entering her apartment she checked all the locks, made sure nothing had been stolen or added, then she went into the shower and took a long hot bath in an effort to relax herself and take her mind off the trauma of the past weeks.

Sitting under the water, just letting it run over her, she let go. All of it. The torture, the deal, the pain she felt, what she knew she would have to do. It was all to much. So she just let go and let it out.

Sobbing is therapeutic, Asha realized after drying herself off and getting a clean set of clothes on that were actually hers. She felt weak, despite the food the cult had been giving her all day. Maybe it was because of that food that she felt weak. She made herself French toast, a hot cup of mocha, and then she sat down and stared at the plate.

The plate was empty now. But she still felt empty.

"I can't do this," she sat with her arms crossed on the table, forehead resting on her forearms.

"Can't do what?" the voice startled her.

Turning and standing in the motion so fast she sent the chair flying, Asha held a hand to her heart and forced herself to breath evenly. It was just a Transgenic. Pale skin and pointed teeth; not someone Asha knew.

"Who are you?" she asked after her heart beat stopped beating loud enough for them both to hear.

"A friend of Logan's," she cocked her head. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just . . . you startled . . . I wasn't expecting . . ." each excuse died in her throat before it was completed. "No." she finally whispered.

The Transgenic pursed her lips and nodded understandingly. "What's wrong?"

Asha bit her lip and sat down, hiding her face with her hands as she felt new tears threaten. She jumped slightly when the woman laid a hand on her back, cooing softly as she knelt beside the obviously distraught human. "Was it White?" she whispered.

A small nod was the only answer she got. "What did he want?"

Asha sat up and looked at the cieling, fighting with herself. Her family or Alec? Her whole world or a guy who broke her heart, without even realizing he had done so?

"You can't tell me, can you?" the Transgenic was surprisingly intuitive. "He's holding something over you."

"Someone," Asha whispered, fresh tears streaming.

"Shhhh," the stranger hugged her tight, letting her cry uncontrollably. "We'll figure it out."

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

"So."

Her tone made White's skin grow cold. The incessant tapping of her nails didn't help his mood much either. He hated those doggone half inch nails.

"In order to find the key to our plan, you have decided to align yourself with a possible former lover of his, by holding her family over her head and implanting a bomb _inside_ her head."

It wasn't a question.

"Yes, ma'am," he spoke monotonely, not wanting to enflame her anger.

"How exactly is this going to work?" she pursed her lips and raised one thin eyebrow, her eyes boring into his.

"Well, ma'am," he nodded with more confidence than he felt. "It will work well."

A loud and contemptuous snort was the only further comment she offered. "Dismissed," she waved him out of her office, picking up the phone as he shut the door behind him.

He hated her. Her doubt, her nails, her office, her attitude. The fact that she was overseeing this initiative of the cult, which placed her as his 'handler'. He snorted. Like he really needed a handler.

"Oh and Agent White," her disinterested voice came drifting through the door behind him. "Try not to let 494 escape again?"

He nodded curtly and then walked out of the building, his blood boiling. He really, really hated that woman.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Alec sat in the tub with his eyes closed, not that it made much difference if his eyes were open or closed, but habits were hard to break. And he could still feel when his eyes were open, he still blinked, so he might as well close them when he was resting. The water was warm, and comfortable, and he was definitely going to thank Shirley for mentioning a hot bath.

It really was a good idea.

Alec heard Joshua come in, shutting the door behind him as the Transhuman setdown the house plans he and Shirley had drawn up for Alec to memorize.

"Hey buddy," Alec murmmured, feeling to tired to talk any louder.

"Feeling better?" Joshua sat down next to the tub, testing the water's warmth briefly.

"Much," Alec stretched, sliding deeper into the water. "I can't remember the last time I felt so good. And warm," he tucked his legs to his chest so he could roll onto his side and still be comfortable. "I'm sleeping in here tonight, just so you know."

Joshua chuckled, glad that Alec was doing so much better.

"Josh?" Alec's voice was barely a whisper.

"Alec?" Joshua answered playfully.

Alec smiled, chuckling himself. "What color shirt and pant am I wearing?"

Joshua leaned over to check the color, nodding when he saw it was the one he'd first thought of. "Pale green."

Alec nodded sleepily, stretching again.

"Why?" Joshua asked, curious.

Alec shrugged nonchalantly, eyes still closed. "No reason."

"I had Shirley put all the grey ones back in the closet," Joshua said softly.

That made Alec's eyes fly open. "What?"

"Grey," Joshua said, his knowing eyes fixed on his friends face. "Manticore's color."

Alec went to speak, but then he just relaxed back into the water and stared at the ceiling. After several minutes he shrugged again. "Thanks, . . . I guess . . ."

Joshua nodded, smiling. "' Welcome."

A few minutes later Alec was fast asleep, the warm water soothing every muscle and soaking into every pore. Shirley knocked on the door as lightly as she could, opening the door and slipping inside quickly. "How is he?"

Joshua shrugged, placing his bookmark and setting the novel aside. "Still hiding. Thinks he needs to hide everything."

"Yeah, I've kind of noticed that," Shirley sat in front of Joshua next to the tub. She gently checked Alec's pulse, noting that his eyes were relatively motionless underneath his eyelids. Good; he was sleeping soundly.

"He's outisde Manticore, but . . ." Joshua shrugged. He didn't know how to explain it. Didn't know how to tell a stranger what Manticore did to them all, how deep those scars really ran in all of them.

"Manticore is still inside him," Shirley finished for him. "Yes he escaped, but he didn't really mean to. I mean, he's glad to be gone, but that was his 'home' for so long - he didn't betray them in the beginning either, not intentionally at least. Max is lucky in the fact that she wanted out of Manticore, into the world. For Alec, for you, the others. Manticore was the only world they knew."

"Alec, I think he's remembering. Remembering things he did," Joshua wrapped his arms around his legs hugging them to his chest.

"He didn't know any better," she tried to comfort him.

"I think he did. Or at least learned better at some point. He fought them, but he always gave in to them. They never truly won though," Joshua smiled, hope in his eyes. "He gave in, they never broke his heart. 'Till, one day - I think they did. But he still fought. He never gave up; he just always gave in."

"I think I know what you mean," Shirley reached over and squeezed his arm, smiling tenderly. "You know him well, don't you?"

"Watched him. Watched them all - I was in basement, they didn't know. Didn't know about me. I watched them all, watched Alec. Helped Alec once - I don't think he remembers though," Joshua turned his attention back to his friend.

"I'm sure some part of him does. The thing about us, we never really forget things. We just lose our ability to recall them," she smiled at him again, squeezing his arm once more before standing. "I'm gonna exercise Morph a little. You okay with him?"

Joshua nodded. "I'll look after him."

"I know you will," she kissed the top of his head, making him duck his head shyly. Laughing softly she slipped out of the room, leaving the two friends alone again.

Alec heard Shirley leave, laughing. Joshua must've done something that amused her. He struggled to keep his heart beat steady and his breathing even, not wanting Joshua to know that he had just heard that entire conversation. Alec just wasn't ready to talk about Manticore and what had happened to him there. What he had done there.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

Max's head was killing her. She had been sitting at her desk, staring at the blank pages in front of her trying to formulate a plan, a program. Something, that would help her explain, help her tell everyone what had happened, and what she planned on doing.

White could not be allowed to continue, but they didn't really have the resources to fight him. He had the upper hand, the upper ground, and while they might have superior numbers, attacking now would just be seen as justification for the cult's campaign to kill them all.

Max had no idea what to do. She knew she had to tell them; tell them the truth, but she didn't know how. She had been trained to be a soldier, not a leader. To follow orders and improvise when needed.

"Improvise," she sighed, resting her forehead on both hands with her elbows on the table. Huffing in frustration and resignation she stood and exited the alcove, drawing several sharp glances. They all knew she hadn't slept last night.

"Gather everyone in the center of the city," she told Mole.

"What fer?" he asked, rolling the cigar in his mouth.

Max thought about how best to answer. "There are some things that I need to explain," she finally said softly.

"I don't know where Joshua is," Mole started to turn away, throwing the comment over his shoulder.

"I do, and he already knows - don't worry about him, just get everyone else where they can hear and see me."

Her words gave the Transhuman pause as he turned to look at her critically, but apparently he didn't think it was worth talking about. He just did as he was told.

Man, that girl looked like a sick cat, Mole thought shaking his head as he left the head quarters. She had dark circles under her eyes, her hair was a mess, and she was emotionally spent. He could tell by the way she spoke softly without any challenge or sarcasm. Something was up. Something big.

He hoped it was something with White - he wanted to punch that guy. In the gut. With a shotgun. Repeatedly.

Maybe he'd get a chance here real soon.

About an hour later everyone was assembled in the middle of Terminal City, wondering what was up. Asha was there as well, her self elected nanny/chaperone standing beside her protectively after having dragged her there as a way to keep her safe from further harm, even though Asha had fought as hard as she could to not go.

Logan stood among the front lines, having a human's hearing; he nodded in encouragement as Max mounted the steps of the small platform that had been erected soon after she had asked for them all to be rallied for a meeting. He didn't know what she was up to, but he knew that she needed all the support she got.

Max nodded in recognition of Logan's support, her eyes running over the crowd swiftly, getting a feel for their mood as she reached the top and stood for a minute, gathering her thoughts.

"You are my family. All of you; Transhuman to Transgenic, there are no such distinguishments. We are all Manticore. Born and bred to be soldiers, to fight, to withstand. Survive, no matter the odds. Triumph, no matter the cost. We stand together, and we fall together; we don't lose comrades, we lose brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. We are family," she saw most of them nodding along, focusing on her. They were intrigued, wondering where this was going. Honestly, Max had no idea.

"We recently lost one of our family members; Alec, X5-494. But he is not dead," she paused to let that bombshell rock the group. She saw Logan start with shock, opening his mouth to say something. "Please, hear me out! I'm not lying, I'm not joking. He is, literally, physically, alive. Right now. White didn't kill him. White drugged him, setting it up so that we would fool ourselves into thinking he was dead."

Many of them were beginning to grumble, to nay say. Fine. She could handle this; she could do this.

"Who saw the kill shot?" she challenged, stepping forward to the edge of the platform, grateful to whoever set this up that the group was fanned out in front so she could face all of them at once without having to constantly turn. "Who _saw_ White kill him? I heard a shot, then saw a body being taken away in a van. Did anyone else hear or see something different?"

She stayed silent for a full minute, letting them think it over. "No," Mole was the first to verbalize it, several others following suit.

"No one saw him die, because he's not dead. I've seen him, I've talked to him - and I know, you all are going to be mad at me, but I only found out last night," she hurriedly told them. "White did something, tried to do something, to him - and then when Alec escaped, a mob got hold of him. A friendly in the city found him, took him to her place and saved his life. She had to do massive internal surgery to save his life, and she and Joshua weren't sure if he'd survive so they didn't tell us in case his survival turned into a false hope.

"Joshua did what he thought best, which is the best any of us can do in the situation he found himself in. Trusting a stranger, lying to friends, in order to save a life and spare hearts. He did what he thought was best, and that is the best thing any of us can do when put on the spot."

Almost every single one of them were nodding, though several were frowning while they did so.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but bear with me, please," she crossed her arms and rocked onto her heels, pursing her lips to formulate her next thought. "White has something planned," she finally said. "I don't know what exactly, but I know it involves Alec, and it's bad. Possibly Biblically bad for those who aren't genetically engineered to be immune to most every plague or virus on Earth. Humans. Ordinaries. The cult is bent on world domination, and the humans are an obstacle they're sick of dealing with. We are the second obstacle in their path.

"But we need to make ourselves the first obstacle," she stepped back, pacing a few times. "White has us exactly where he wants us right now. Locked behind a fence, unable to defend or attack lest we are annihilated by the people we are trying to protect - I'm not going to play that game anymore."

That made the crowd shift and murmer. They all seemed to lean forward, waiting with bated breath for her next words.

"I'm sick of playing White's game by White's rules. We won't win that way - we can't win that way. I'm writing my own rules. I'm writing them as I go, and I may write some of them in the blood of you who are standing here today. I don't want to - I may have to. If we don't stand up and fight for our freedom, our equality, then we will never be free! Because we will still be in that fence, in the shadows established by Manticore. We are Manticore! And we need to stop being so afraid of the world; I know, it's hard to be fearless.

"I'm not asking you to be fearless. I'm asking you to stand up, heads high, and step into the light with me. Courage is not being unafraid, courage is feeling fear and pushing through it! Harnessing our fear and channeling our terror! Manticore taught us to fight; they didn't teach us how to die. And I refuse to die!" she stopped her pacing and faced them all, eyes alight. "I will not let White win; and I'm sick of hiding in the shadows, of letting everyone else be happy and live in peace. I want to live in peace too! But if I have to fight for that, if I have to die for that so that those that come after me can live in the light I died to secure, then so be it!" she held her right fist high, gaining an instant response from the crowd as they mirrored the gesture.

"We are not going to let the Cult run this game anymore!" her words echoed off the buildings, bolstering the electic feel in the atmosphere even more. "They fear us! And they have a right to fear us! We beat them once, we can do it again! I don't know how, or where, but I know why. Because we are better. We are not stronger - an elephant is stronger than a mouse, yet the mouse scares the elephant. The man is stronger than the poison, yet the poison kills the man. We are not better because of blood, or tissue, or strategy. We are better, through love, and heart.

"Without a heart, a body cannot function - without love, a person has no need to live, and therefore no need for their heart. The heart is what loves, the heart is what others learn to love. It is the fire in each of our souls that makes us stronger, faster, smarter, better. We were born in shadow, some say we were made for darkness. I do not believe that. I believe we were made by a man who had a dream; his dream was about equality, and acceptance, and the fact that all deserve to live, no matter what. That is an ideal we may never live up to; but it is one I want to try to live up to, to enforce. The fire in our souls will not be quenched by water, for water does not phase us. It will not be quenched by blood, for blood is what feeds it. The blood of our bodies, the blood of our friends. Our hearts may stop, but our fire will never be gone!"

They answered with a thunderous roar, raising their fists once again.

"White thinks we're on the run. And we were. But no more! I have a plan - it's a small plan, simple. Hard though. It's very hard."

Various shouts of 'what' came from all over, them begging her to continue.

"Find White. Capture him. Turn him. Hunt the Cult down and expose them. We've been trying to find them, to stop them. We cannot find a trace or sign of them. But they are out there. White is one of their top soldiers; he knows their game plan, their safe places, their beta strategies. If we can find him, and catch him, then we will have a chance. But!" she cut the instant chatter off, not done yet. "We must not ignite a war with those of Seattle, or any other city. Our war is with the Cult, and it is the Cult we need do battle with. No one else, nothing else -"

"Down with the Cult, in with freedom!" a random Transgenic shouted, starting a chant.

Max smiled, raising her fist one last time. "We may not win this next battle, but we will not lose this war. We won't let ourselves. To peace, and to freedom!"

"Freedom, freedom, freedom," the crowd picked up the chant, pumping their fists.

Max breathed a sigh of relief as she got off the platform. That had gone better than she'd expected. She smiled tiredly as Logan approached, grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you plan all that, or just improvise?" he asked good naturedly.

"Honestly? I made it up as I went - and I meant every word," she smiled in return, sighing and rolling her shoulders.

"So," Logan looked at the ground and scuffed his shoes. "Alec's alive, huh?"

Max nodded mutely, not sure how he'd react.

"Good, I mean, I'm glad," he looked up at her, a shadow in his eyes.

"It really was a lie, Logan," Max assured him. "The fact that me and Alec were seeing each other, I told the truth when I said it was a lie. We weren't, and we aren't going to start. I love you."

The shadow disappeared as fast as it had appeared, his smile returning with a flash. "Ridiculous of me to doubt you, I know."

"A little ridiculous, yeah," she laughed. "Yeah Mole?" she turned to face him patiently standing behind her.

"Alec's really alive, eh?" he asked, his usual harshness lacking from his tone.

"Yeah - he was severely injured, he is still recovering, and . . ."

"And?" the edge creeped back in.

"He's blind," she said softly. "But I don't want everyone to know that yet; if they ask about how badly he was hurt, tell them, if not. They didn't ask, they didn't get answers. I'm sorry, it may seem harsh, but-"

Mole chuckled. "That? Harsh? Makes perfect sense. Is he gonna regain his sight?"

"No idea," she fought a yawn, only half succeeding.

"You look exhausted, Max. You've been through a lot lately, and that wasn't any penny and dime speech you just gave. We all can sit down and start planning while you get some shut eye; you too, Cale," Mole pointed a finger at the scruffy man fighting a yawn.

"'Kay," Max waved a farewell, turning to walk with Logan to where their quarters were - she didn't even bother arguring with him. Mole was right; neither she or Logan were in any shape to plan right now. And neither of them could stop yawning.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Asha's heart was racing as she drifted away from the platform, surrounded by Transgenic that were absolutely buzzing with energy and ideas after that speech. That electric speech that Max had given.

Alec was alive. And Max knew where he was.

Asha couldn't get her heart to cooperate with her wish to stay calm and keep breathing evenly, deeply.

Alec was alive, and there was a bomb in her head that would go off if she didn't tell White the truth about that.

Crap.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Meanwhile, Alec had gotten out of the bath, albeit quite reluctantly and on the condition that they find the warmest clothes possible for him to put on immediately after he was dry enough.

Now he was sitting on the couch after a delicious lunch of pancakes with warm syrup and ice cold milk considering having Joshua help him to bed so that he could sleep properly. He was currently cradled by Joshua, who was acting as a living, breathing heater for him which was actually quite pleasant. Right now though, Alec just wanted to be alone - he had a lot of things to sort through.

First off, the conversation between Shirley and Joshua that niether knew Alec had heard was still echoing in his mind, chasing it's own tail and refusing to let him just box it up and ignore it, which is what he really wanted to do to it.

Then there was the fact that he was blind. He had accepted the fact, but it was more of an acceptance through necessity - he hadn't really stopped and thought about it yet. Shirley was very careful to cater to his needs, Joshua did the same thing, Max hadn't really said anything - she had most likely still been processing it when she left last night - but what really bothered Alec was the fact that he knew he was blind, he just, didn't know what to do about that.

He knew he couldn't fix himself, obvoiusly, there was nothing anybody could do to 'fix' this - his vision would either return, or it wouldn't and he'd be blind for life. And that right there is what he hadn't really confronted yet. What was going to happen if his vision didn't return?

Rely on Joshua the rest of his life, anchor the poor Transhuman to himself? No. He knew Joshua would do that willingly without a second, or even a first, thought as to what that would mean for Joshua's life, but Alec refused to accept that he would become an invalid, a burden. He was a soldier - he did things, he acted, he fought, and fought well. He didn't sit around the house, eating three full square meals a day, sleeping as long as he wanted, and doing nothing but wandering around a house and relying on everyone else to do everything for him.

He couldn't live like that. That wasn't a life. But he was terrified that that was the only option open to him right now.

Even if blindness was the only issue he had right now, learning to cope - and getting everyone around him to let him learn to cope - would be hard enough, but blindness wasn't the only issue he had. Shirley said most of the internal injuries were healed, and Alec believed her. There wasn't any internal bleeding that was going to kill him - his bones were healing well, his balance was improving, and Shirley knew all that. She'd told Alec all that.

What Alec didn't tell her was that whenever he moved he felt an ache; mostly in his abdomen, the area around his ribs and spine. His head also throbbed sometimes, although it was more like a pressure that would suddenly come and wrap a band around his head. It didn't really hurt, it just felt . . . confining. Limiting. Weakening. Everything that made every fiber in his being, body and soul, want to scream from frustration and fear - he hated feeling helpless, dependent.

Manticore had engineered him to be superior, to be better, healthier, faster, smarter, stronger. To be independent, capable; but oddly, they had bred in him a dependency that rivaled that of a drug addicts. The dependency on his independence; he relyed on being being able to take care of himself so heavily, that when that was taken away, he was completely lost. He'd been lost when Rachel was taken away, but Manticore had reprogrammed him, given him a purpose again; wiped him clean and fixed him up. This though.

There was no Manticore to rescue him from this - no cursed black to cover it up until he felt ready to dredge it up and deal with it. No Manticore to give him a magic pill to return his strength to him.

Because his strength wasn't returning. It didn't feel like it, at least. He could stand and walk on his own, but he felt shaky and like he was going to fall down at the next step. His balance was on hiesta, and his hearing seemed . . . dulled; as did his taste and smell. Touch on the other hand, felt like it was on overdrive. Every bump felt like a pinch, every brush of a hand on his skin felt like a hot stone - yet he craved that heat. He wanted warmth, needed it, because warmth kept him in control. The second he felt a chill crawling down his spine he could feel his muscles gathering, twitching, stretching. Readying themselves to throw him on the ground, helpless and defenseless, at the mercy of whoever was closest.

He was, quite frankly, terrified of his own body right now. Because it wasn't his body. He felt like a stranger that had been transplanted into a foreign country while he slept, but everyone kept trying to convince him that he was still at home.

Alec shivered slightly, jerking when he felt something move behind him. Joshua's instant assurance relieved him, but he stayed tense - trying to distance himself from this.

This wasn't him. This dependent, helpless, _kitten_ he had become practically overnight. It wasn't who he wanted to be, and he had no idea how to accept this new life that had been forced upon him while he slept.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Max stood by the tunnel twitching impatiently as Logan watched. She drummed her fingers against her leg, paced in a short line back and forth for five minutes, then began drumming her fingers and bouncing her leg. She was just about to start back towards the HQ building to hunt Mole down when he appeared with the selected members of the population in a group behind him.

After the Transgenics had assimulated the information that Alec was alive and White had something planned, they all came to a unanimous decision that they needed to take action, now. The best way to plan any course of action was to get all the information they could on what White's plans were. And the only person who could possibly know that was Alec - he was the one who had been kidnapped, after all.

Mole was coming for security, Max was obviously the leader, Dix had some know how on memory tricks - Alec would no doubt have suppressed some of it - and Dalton along with a handful of others were coming along to escape cabin fever and serve as backup if they ran into trouble. Most of them would stay at Shirley's to provide security in case White discovered where Alec was hiding.

Distributing the disguises Max donned her own baggy coat and too big hat on that she wore the night before, leading the Transgenics into the tunnel. When they reached the exit she balanced on her heels and looked back.

"Remember - don't get spotted and don't draw attention to yourself. If you get spotted backtrack to the fence and jump it. Don't come back through this tunnel - Luke probably won't have it secured until tonight so for now it's a weak point if it's found," she reiterated what they'd gone over in HQ. Better a fresh memory and healthy heart than a spotty recollection and intact pride.

They all nodded, Mole verbally mumbling 'yeah'. His disguise hid any head movements he might make.

"Move out," Max stepped out of the tunnel mouth with Logan beside her after carefully scanning the area to ensure she wouldn't be spotted; the others would follow when they judged it safe enough.

Asha stood in the shadows watching the group of seven Transgenics enter the tunnel after donning their disguises, her conscience warring with her heart. There was a secret entrance and exit into Terminal City - and it didn't look secured. If she told White about it, he would slaughter them before they knew what hit them.

Looking over her shoulder she bit her lip, White's words ringing in her head.

If she didn't deliver Alec he would kill her family - but he hadn't said anything about Terminal City. Coming to a decision she turned and left the area, carefully skirting to a neglected portion of the fence to slip out of the city unobserved. Making her way around the fence until she came to where she guessed the tunnel came out she settled down to watch for one of the Transgenics to emerge in order for her to tail them.

She hated this. But, and she hated this too, she didn't see any other choice.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

Joshua sat comfortably with Alec cradled against him for warmth, listening to his friends steady heartbeat. For a while Alec had been awake, but he had stayed quiet and made no effort to have a conversation so Joshua had left him to his thoughts. Trying to move slightly startled Alec, and it took a while for him to settle again, but when he did he fell almost instantly asleep.

Shirley popped over to check on them every once in a while, but she was pretty busy in the kitchen right now. It looked like she was cooking for more than three tonight too - maybe Max was coming over with Logan or something.

It would be a good idea to get together and discuss strategy on what to do about White, but that was Max's area, not Joshua's.

Hearing a soft knock on the door Joshua fought to keep from tensing, knowing that doing so would panic Alec. Shirley smiled in assurance of him and went to the door, opening it to let Max and Logan step inside.

"More coming?" Shirley asked without prelude.

"Yeah," Max nodded, scanning the room quickly. She smiled and waved at Joshua, frowning in concern at the limp and pale form sleeping next to him. Snapping her attention back to Shirley she smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude," she turned to Logan. "This is Logan, he's a friend."

"Hi," Shirley shook his hand, taking the bulky coats from the couple and setting them on separate tables. Joshua had briefly explained about the genetic virus carried by Max engineered to kill Logan.

"Hi," Logan returned her greeting, smiling cordially. Honestly he felt a little awkward, though he was glad Max was including him in this strategy session. Following Shirley's invitation to enter the house and settle themselves around the kitchen table or in one of the arm chairs in the sitting area Logan felt his breath catch at the sight of Alec, still and pale, on the couch next to Joshua.

Max had said he had been badly hurt, but Logan had been thinking a few bruises, maybe a broken rib or two; badly hurt in human measurements, basically.

Alec looked like a porcelain doll, inanimate and painted china white with pale, blue-white lips.

Max seemed similarly shocked by his appearance. "He didn't look that bad last night," she seemed confused.

Shirley wiped her hands on her apron nervously. "He's fine - no bleeding, the bruising is healing, bones have been knit for a while now . . ."

"But . . .?" Logan asked softly.

"He's very cold. And I'm speaking in human terms of below normal body temperature, I have no idea how that compares to Transgenic, but quite honestly . . ." Shirley took a breath and shook her head. "I'm worried."

Max nodded, swallowing. "Worried he's gonna die, worried, or just waiting for this to stabilize itself worried?"

"Well, right now it is kind of stable, I just don't know what long term affects such a low temperature will have on his body. The average human temp is 98.6, Josh told me the average Transgenic temp is around 100 to 103. Right now Alec's is between 95 and 97. I say in between because it's been different each time I've taken it," Shirley shrugged. "The hot bath seemed to help, and he certainly enjoyed the warmth, so I think that'll become a daily thing to do."

"Has he said anything about it?" Logan asked.

Shirley shook her head. "He listens to what I say, smiles and says he'll be alright, and then goes back to doing whatever he was doing before - mainly sleeping or twiddling his thumbs."

Max snorted quietly. "That is so Alec - stubborn idiot -"

"I recall this stubborn idiot saving your life a time or two," a muffled mumble came from the couch.

"Uh-huh," Max smoothly accepted him into the conversation. "And how many times have I saved your hide?"

"Umm, once or twice?" he offered, stretching like a cat as he yawned.

"Try five or six," she retorted.

"What?!" he yawned again, opening his eyes and slowly sitting up. Joshua took the opportunity to stand up and stretch. "When, did you ever save my life _five_ times?"

"Well, I got you out of Manticore didn't I?" she walked over closer to him as Shirley went to the door.

"Granted," he nodded, pointedly focusing on Max as the other Transgenics filed into the house.

"Then there was the incident with a bomb in your head, then, let's see . . ." she crossed her arms, thinking about all the times she'd saved his life. "When you first met Zach I recall him suspending you in the air by your neck; then there was the time you took hostages in Jam Pony that I had to straighten out, and wasn't there an incident with you being arrested for a murder? Who exactly broke you out of there anyway?"

He was grinning by this time, glad to hear her joke and josh with him. "Well, now that you name specifics, I dimly recall that it was a spunky and sarcastic brunnette by the name of Max."

She chuckled, ruffling his hair. Turning to the new arrivals she was glad to see that they had all made it. "Any issues getting here?"

Mole shook his head. "We were clear the entire time."

"Good," Max nodded. "Shirley, these are friends, again, obviously. Mole, Dalton, Dix, Gunn, (in honor of Richard Gunn, who played Sketchy) and Vage ( in honor of John Savage, who played Colonel Lydecker) . Everybody, meet Shirley."

Shirley dipped a curtsey politely, sniffing suspiciously. "Oh! my biscuits!" she ran to the oven and pulled it open, grabbing two hot pads to pull out the tray of brown, on the verge of too brown, biscuits.

Mole sniffed appreciatively. "You're feeding us?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"I wouldn't dream of not feeding you," she kicked the oven door to make it shut as she set the tray down, picking up a ladle to stir the pot of soup on the stove. "Just two pots of soup, some biscuits, and all you can drink of water and milk I'm afraid, but it's good quality - made from scratch."

"Smells wonderful," Dalton offered, wandering over to watch her put the final touches on the soup.

"One pot mostly meat, one pot mostly vegetables - I don't know if there's preferences, but they're both filling and tasty."

"They're fine; we're an easy crowd," Alec started, standing up. His knees immediately rebelled at the idea of standing however.

Max caught him as much as she could, Joshua moving the coffee table so that Alec didn't crack his head on it. Alec's body wasn't done though, shaking uncontrollably in waves.

"Crap," Shirley set her towel down, running to the end table and opening a small case. Mentally scolding herself for not insisting more firmly after lunch she made sure there was no air in the syringe as she carefully knelt beside the convulsing Transgenic. "I think it's past time for this, Alec - this inhibitor helps, it really does . . ." she tried to take his arm but she couldn't hold it still long enough. She didn't know if he was willfully fighting her or if the seizure was just that bad.

"Shh," Max cradled Alec's shoulders and head, holding him as still as she could. "Don't fight them, it doesn't help," she sighed in frustration when Alec avoided her hand on his forehead. "Alec, believe me; I dealt with seizures most of my life outside of Manticore before they 'fixed' me after my recapture. Fighting them doesn't work - just relax, relax as much as possible."

"Let Shirley help," Joshua captured Alec's arm, holding Alec still as Shirley quickly injected the medicine and withdrew the needle as smoothly as possible.

Mole walked over to stand by Dalton, who was fixedly ignoring the drama in the sitting room, stirring the pots of soup. "You okay kiddo?"

"I know what's it's like, having your world fall down on your head," Dalton quietly whispered. "Audiences don't help in dealing with it. Especially for a guy like Alec; he never relied on anybody, and now . . ."

"It's not that he didn't rely on anybody, it's just that he hid his reliance from everybody. Including himself," Mole answered, equally quiet.

"What do we do to help?" Dalton looked at Mole with haunted eyes.

Mole was taken aback at the hurt and pain in the kid's eyes, suddenly wondering just what had brought the kid's world crashing down that had left such a mark on him. But, they were all marked by some tragedy in their past - living at Manticore, serving them. There was no way to avoid those memories. "Right now, we help him adjust as best we can."

They both turned to look at the now still Transgenic, helpless and powerless, supported and surrounded by his friends.

"Stand by and be the silent helper, eh?" Dalton said somewhat bitterly. "That never works; and doing it sucks."

"What do you suggest, upstart?" Mole's tone gained his usual acerbic edge to it.

"Confront him; force him to confront what he's hiding from," Dalton didn't flinch, meeting Mole's glare eye to eye.

Mole snorted. "You let me know how that works out for you, kiddo."


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

Asha stood outside the house, shivering in her light coat as a steady mist came down, soaking everything.

"So, you actually weren't lying," White's smugness exuded from every syllable.

Asha gasped in shock as she felt a taser pressed into her back, falling down unconscious mere seconds later.

"Thank you," he stepped over the inert blonde, watching the house with his hands in his pockets. "Alert the two strike teams. 494's been located. And Max is unprotected."

The men in the shadows nodded, turning to jog over to the car.

White stayed where he was, smiling. He had them. And there was no way out for any of them.

Joshua sat beside Alec, watching his friend rest. Alec had barely spoken since the last seizure, completely ignoring everyone who attempted to talk with him. He was currently on the couch curled into as tight a ball as he could manage, his back to the room with his eyes stubbornly closed.

Joshua just sat beside him, not even trying to talk to him.

He listened with half an ear as Max and the others put together a plan of action, his attention focused mainly on Alec's heart beat and steady breathing.

Alec was partially aware of Joshua sitting behind him, his mind feeling foggy. Max and the others sounded far away, but that might have been because he was deliberately ignoring what they were talking about. He was cold again, but didn't feel like moving, or speaking. He just wanted to be left alone in his silent misery.

Click.

The short, out of place sound made Alec furrow his brow, wondering where it had come from. He was about to doze off again when it came again.

Click.

Snick.

Crack.

Trying to sit up Alec shoved a startled Joshu off of the couch, sitting on the edge of the sofa with his head cocked, eyes closed.

"Alec?" Logan's curious tone interrupted his focus.

"Shhh!" he shushed the man sharply. Breathing deeply he focused intently on every sound he could hear, cataloguing each and every one once he had identified the source.

Thump.

There it was. Not the same sound, but it was equally out of place as the ones that first woke him.

Another thump, then a series of thumps and creaks.

His eyes flew open as he realized that they were foot steps, coming from upstairs. "Shirley, is anyone upstairs?" he asked quietly.

Max answered for her, shaking her head by the sound of her hair. "No. We're all down here. - why?"

He stood, tracking where the men were by the sound of their movements. "You can't hear that?" he whispered.

Max breathed deeply and shut her eyes, breathing out as she focused on her hearing, sharpening it as much as she could. Gasping her eyes flew open. "Footsteps!" she hissed quietly, immediately scattering the Transgenics to defensive positions around the stair well.

"Someone in the house?" Shirley sounded scared. "But all the upstairs windows were locked, I make sure to keep all the entrances locked."

"They must've unlocked them somehow," Logan said, his back to a wall as they all waited for the men to exit the stairwell.

Max's heart was racing as she stood to the side of the door, back flat to the wall. Listening to the faint footsteps she fleetingly wondered how on Earth Alec had heard them - but she was glad he had.

The group waited tensely for several minutes, but no one came down the stairs.

"They must be searching the upstairs," she whispered as quietly as she could.

"They are," Alec answered her, making his way to the door on the other side. "There aren't many of them, yet. I've heard clicks like loading guns outside though. They're preparing to storm the place."

"Alec, you and Joshua need to get out of here, take Shirley with you," Max ordered.

Not surprisingly he didn't agree. "No! Max, Joshua can fight, and this is Shirley's home -"

"And if you get caught who knows what they'll do!" she hissed, frustrated. "They're probably Cult members, which means Shirley won't be able to fight them. Joshua's the strongest, he can get you two out and then, when you're safe, he can come back if we're still here."

"But-"

"Alec!" she raised her voice, getting shushed by Mole almost immediately. "I am not going to argue with you!"

"Good! Then I'm staying here and helping," he said cockily, very much like his old self.

"No offense, but this is going to offend - you're blind! you can't fight, and you aren't healed enough to fight if you weren't blind!"

"Max-"  
"Alec, I . . ." she trailed off, turning around so she could lay her ear to the wall. The men were getting closer to the stairs, and there were more of them than there had been. "I am only going to ask once - leave, with Shirley and Joshua, now. Get as far away from here as you can as fast as you. We'll hold them off and give you guys a good headstart, then we'll leave at a run. Just get to TC and have a party waiting for us when we get back, okay? Please, Alec. Don't play into their hands like this, you'll end up dead and White will win - again."

Alec's first instinct was to say no, and he almost did, but then he thought of Annie, and Biggs, and C.C. Three friends who had died because of what White had done; one dying at White's own hand. His first instinct was to stay, and that was what White would count on - the stubbornness of Alec's arrogance and self-confidence. Sighing, he banged his head on the wall behind him, hating that he couldn't help his friends.

"Fine," he growled.

Mole sighed in relief at Alec's relent, patting Joshua's back as the Transhuman walked past him. "Good luck buddy."

"You too," Joshua said, turning around to grasp his friends hand and shake it. "See you at TC."

"Come on Shirley," Alec called softly, not sure where she was.

"What's going on?" her soft and terrified voice came from the corner under the phone.

Carefully making his way over there, Joshua following behind him, Alec reached done and gently pulled her to her feet. "We need to leave. White's men are here for me, so I need to get away while we can."

Joshua pulled a coat on, picking one up for Alec and one for Shirley as well.

"We run, quietly as possible, out gate and through the city as directly as possible to TC, 'kay?"

Shirley nodded, pulling her coat on.

"I don't know if I'll be able to," Alec zipped the jacket up and pulled the hood up.

"We try, if not, we improvise," Joshua led his two friends the door, carefully turning the nob. "I think it's clear."

"They're in the hedge, and around the corners. Maybe under the windows as well," Alec told him, listening to the outside. "I can hear five heartbeats through the door. I think they're next to the house."

Joshua nodded, pulling the door open as quietly as possible. Poking his head out of the door carefully he scanned the area, sniffing the air tentatively.

"Hey Max," Alec called softly.

"What, Alec!" her irritated bark came back, matching his whisper so she wouldn't be heard by the men on the stairs.

"Take care," he responded, feeling foolish.

"You too," her voice was softer, almost apologetic.

"Okay," Joshua took hold of Alec's right hand, pulling him out of the house smoothly. Descending the stairs at a measured pace they kept low across the yard, Shirley keeping pace with them fairly well.

She kept on Alec's left side so that she wouldn't step on Joshua's heels or something like that, keeping an eye on her patient. They were able to cross the yard uneventfully, just slipping through the gate when the shout went up from the steps of the house.

"There! There's three of them! Get them!" the commander stood on the bottom step motioning at them furiously as he screamed at his men.

"Run Alec, " Joshua pulled them into a dead run towards the city.

The black suited soldiers ran after them, the commander still screaming for his men to storm the house and run after the three escapees.

Alec snorted mentally; that guy really needed a lesson in how to give orders. He was drawn out of his musings when he nearly tripped, just barely catching himself from stepping wrong. _Right, you're blind._

Joshua slowed when he felt Alec falter momentarily, ready to turn and catch his friend. Luckily Alec was able to catch himself and they kept running. Shirley was keeping pace with them nicely, though he could hear her breath coming harder.

Guiding them through the streets as quickly as possible to evade the five men that had given chase Joshua had given up trying to hold the coat closed to disguise him. He just hoped the police responded sluggishly and stopped the ones in pursuit before they stopped them.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

White moved his teams in as quickly as possible, clearing the floors systematically but slowly. The teams met at the stair's head, moving down in a concerted group. They immediately met resistance in the form of six Transgenics and a human, but they had numbers on their side as they poured out of the stairwell despite the Transgenics attempts to bottle them in.

White heard the shout go up outside that three were getting away and immediately ran out the front door, calling for four men to back him up.

The group was fast, with a head start, but they were moving surprisingly slow for Transgenics. White split his men, sending two off into the streets on either side in order to box the fleeing mutants in.

White stayed on them, intent on not letting 494 get away again.

As expected, the group made the turn into the market for the shortest way to Terminal City but were met with a road block and a team of six trained Cult warriors. The trio came to an abrupt halt, but the leader quickly shooed the two followers into the maze that constituted Seattle's post-Pulse market.

White came up short when he saw that the leader was none other than Joshua, the one that had nearly killed him at the end of their last confrontation. Hesitating for a moment he signaled for the team to move in and take it out, then he set out after 494.

Joshua turned the corner into the market and made Alec run into him because he stopped so suddenly. "Run!" Joshua immediately shoved Alec into Shirley and shooed her into the maze, trusting that the two would be able to take care of each other. He then turned to face the half dozen black suited men and women moving in on him, silently praying that Alec and Shirley would get through to Terminal City.

Alec almost lost his footing at the unexpected and instantaneous decrease in momentum, then the subsequent yell and shove from Joshua as Shirley grabbed his hand and practically dragged him behind her as she ran in a serpentine manner through narrow streets. They must have reached the market.

Shirley quickly ran out of breath, pulling them into a shadowed alcove in order to get their bearings and catch their breath.

Alec was breathing harder than she was, bending over with his hands on his knees as he tried to breath as deeply as possible. "There's no way we're going to outrun them."

"We have to try," came the reply, so much like Max, like Joshua, Logan. So unlike him.

"Okay," he took her hand lightly and pulling them back into the aisle. "Find the Space Needle, we can orient against that."

"Got it!" she said without hesitation.

"Good, now put it on our left, and stay as on that course as possible," he lied, knowing full well he was lying to the women that had saved his life and risked her life, and had, over the course of less than seven days, won his unreserved trust with her motherly ways and unselfish kindness.

"Okay," she guided him forward, walking as quickly as possible and ignoring all the looks they were getting as the ruckus behind them increased exponentially. "Should we go back and help Joshua?"

"Don't worry, big fella can take care of himself," he smiled. They both jumped when a shot rang out, echoing with a omnious doom, like a tolling church bell at a funeral.

Shirley wheeled around to search uselessly for any indication of what was going on, not noticing when Alec slipped his hand out of hers and silently found an alley to a different aisle. He stood still for a split second, listening intently as he singled out White's voice - it wasn't hard, considering what they had put each other through, and started moving towards the man.

He heard Shirley's panicked shouts start a full minute later, purposefully zoning her out to carefully and silently make his way closer to where White's voice was organising a search party to comb the market. He stopped while he still had to focus in order to make out the words, not wanting to risk being seen. What better way to hide, than to hide from the search, not just the person.

Alec's cat and mouse game played out well for the first five minutes, but then something changed. He could practically feel it in his bones, the minute White figured it out. The game was up.

Turning to run for it Alec collided with a very quiet, very agile guard that had snuck up while he was so intently focused on listening White. Alec swore once before he felt the taser hit his chest, right over his heart - that was the last thing he registered.

DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA

The room was stationary, so that meant he was already in a holding facility and illeminated any possibility of escaping before they could get him properly locked down. He was already properly locked down. The smell was chemical, like bleach and sanitizers for needles.

He involuntarily shivered when the thought of needles crossed his mind. Not needles again, please.

The room felt very large, but he doubted he had free reign. Carefully exploring the area with a hand stretched out he met bars, just as he had expected. So, he mentally decided to catalogue just how screwed he was.

He was in White's custody - again.

He was in an unknown building - again.

He didn't know where he was - again.

He was completely blind, still in bad shape, and wouldn't be able to fight in the least without risking rebreaking something.

He would probably start seizuring soon.

Max didn't know where he was.

He didn't know if Joshua was alive, where Shirley was, or if they even knew he had been captured.

Freezing he cocked his head. He could've sworn somebody moved in the vicinity.

"Alec?" a soft voice called tentatively. An alarmingly familiar voice.

"Asha!" he looked around for her, listening for her breath and heart beat.

"Right here," she sounded confused, terrified. Right beside him.

Navigating to the side of the cell nearest to her cell he gingerly sat down in the corner, leaning his head on one of the bars.

"Now what?" she asked.

"We wait for Max to find and rescue us. Again," he added as an afterthought thinking of the conversation they had recently held discussing all the times she had saved his bacon. It looked like this time he'd put himself into the true thick of the fire.

"You really think she'll find us? Why?"

"'Cause," he shrugged. "She's Max, she's the saviour of all. She'll find a way, make a way - where there's a will, there's a way and there is no greater will in existence than that of Max Guavara," he said, thinking of all the times she had refused to give up. She would do it again; she had to, otherwise he was dead.

Asha spoke softly, sighing the sentence out. "I hope you're right."

"I am."

The End

of Part Two


End file.
